Stock Market News·2025-12-31 11:07Market Overview - The U.S. stock market is closing 2025 on a cautious note, with major index futures edging lower, extending a three-session losing streak, and hopes for a year-end "Santa Claus" rally fading [1] - Despite the recent pullback, 2025 has been a remarkable year for equities, with the S&P 500 poised for its third consecutive year of double-digit gains [1] Premarket Trading and Futures Movements - As of early Wednesday, U.S. stock futures indicated a softer open, with Nasdaq 100 futures down 0.43%, S&P 500 futures down 0.28%, and Dow Jones futures down 0.14% [2] - The S&P 500, Nasdaq Composite, and Dow Jones all finished slightly lower on Tuesday, marking the third consecutive day of losses [2] Commodities Market - Crude oil futures were trading lower by 0.38%, around $57.72 per barrel, while Gold Spot was down 0.35% to approximately $4,324.59 per ounce [3] Major Market Indexes Performance - The S&P 500 is on track for an annual gain of 17-18%, the Dow Jones has advanced 13-14%, and the Nasdaq Composite has jumped nearly 21% in 2025 [4] - This performance marks the S&P 500's third consecutive year of double-digit returns, a rare achievement since the 1940s [4] Federal Reserve Outlook - The Federal Reserve is expected to cut rates in 2026, with uncertainty regarding the extent and pace due to internal divisions and mixed economic data [6] - The FOMC approved a quarter-point reduction in December 2025, bringing the main interest rate to a range between 3.5% and 3.75% [6] - Inflation remains above the Fed's 2% target, with unemployment rising to 4.6% in November and only 64,000 jobs added [6] Corporate Developments - Vanda Pharmaceuticals shares surged over 18% after receiving FDA approval for its drug NEREUS [13] - Nike shares rose 1.54% following CEO Elliott Hill's purchase of approximately $1 million in company shares [13] - Nvidia's stock surged approximately 180% in 2025, driven by robust demand for AI chips, with ByteDance planning to increase spending on Nvidia's AI chips to around $14 billion in 2026 [13] - Urgent.ly Inc. shares rose significantly after the adjournment of its annual stockholder meeting [13] - Applied Digital announced a proposed merger with EKSO Bionics, leading to a 40% surge in EKSO shares [13] - FONAR Corporation shares surged 28.4% after confirming its acquisition by an insider-led group [13] - Society Pass Incorporated shares jumped 16.4% following a newly priced public offering [13] - Palantir and Tesla saw their shares decline amidst concerns about technology giants' capital expenditures [13] - Boeing shares advanced 0.6% after being awarded an $8.58 billion contract by the Defense Department [13] - Meta Platforms shares ended up 1.1% following its acquisition of an AI startup for over $2 billion [13]