Wall Street Ends 2025 with Modest Declines, Major Indexes Poised for Strong Annual Gains

Market Performance - The U.S. stock market is experiencing a subdued finish to 2025, with major indexes trending lower for the fourth consecutive session [1][2] - The S&P 500 is down approximately 0.2% to 0.3%, the Nasdaq Composite has declined about 0.1% to 0.3%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average has slipped around 0.2% to 0.5% [2] - Despite the recent pullback, the Nasdaq Composite is expected to conclude the year with a gain of over 21%, the S&P 500 with a 17% increase, and the Dow with a 13% advance [3] Economic Outlook - The U.S. stock markets will be closed on January 1, 2026, for New Year's Day, with trading resuming on January 2, 2026 [4] - Key economic indicators and corporate earnings will be closely monitored in early January, including Initial Claims and the ISM Manufacturing report [5] Corporate Developments - Nike shares advanced by 4.3% after CEO Elliott Hill purchased approximately $1 million worth of shares [7] - Meta Platforms, Inc. saw a 1.1% rise in shares following its acquisition of AI startup Manus [7] - Citigroup Inc. shares declined by 0.8% after approving the sale of its Russian unit, expected to result in a $1.2 billion pre-tax loss [8] - Boeing gained 0.6% on securing an $8.58 billion U.S. Air Force contract [8] - Intel shares rose by 1.7% as Nvidia completed a $5 billion investment in the company [8] Notable Decliners - Micron Technology shares were down 2.7%, despite a year-to-date gain of 248% [9] - Broadcom fell by 1.1%, and Ares Management Corporation saw a significant decline of 3.4% within the S&P 500 Index [9] Year-End Reflection - Investors are reflecting on a year characterized by robust gains, particularly in the technology sector driven by AI advancements, alongside periods of volatility influenced by geopolitical events and shifts in monetary policy [11]