Stock Market News·2026-01-01 15:07Market Overview - U.S. financial markets closed on January 1st, 2026, for New Year's Day, with trading resuming on January 2nd, 2026, allowing investors to reflect on a strong 2025 and strategize for the new year [1] - The final trading day of 2025 saw a modest decline in U.S. equities, with major indexes still concluding the year with impressive double-digit gains driven by optimism around artificial intelligence and strong corporate profits [2] Index Performance - On December 31st, the S&P 500 fell 0.7% to close at 6,845.50, the Nasdaq Composite dipped 0.8% to 23,241.99, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average decreased by 0.6% to 48,063.29, with light trading volume as many institutional investors had closed their books for the year [3] - The S&P 500 surged over 16% in 2025, marking its third consecutive year of double-digit gains and setting 39 record highs, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 20.4% and the Dow Jones climbed 13% [4] Economic Indicators - Investors will focus on key economic data releases in early January 2026, including the Construction Spending report, ISM Manufacturing Index, and Employment Situation Report, which will provide insights into the U.S. economy and influence market sentiment and Federal Reserve policy [5][6] Company News - Meta Platforms (META) shares rose by 1.1% following its acquisition of AI startup Manus, highlighting the strategic importance of AI for tech giants [8] - Intel (INTC) shares gained 1.7% after NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) completed a $5 billion investment in the chipmaker, emphasizing partnerships within the semiconductor industry [8] - Boeing Company (BA) saw a 0.6% increase in stock after securing an $8.58 billion U.S. Air Force contract [8] - Citigroup Inc. (C) shares fell 0.8% after approving the sale of its Russian unit, expected to result in a $1.2 billion pre-tax loss [12] - Nike (NKE) advanced 4.1% after its CEO purchased approximately $1 million worth of shares, signaling confidence in the company's future [12] AI Sector Performance - AI-related firms had significant gains in 2025, with Micron Technology (MU) up 239%, Palantir (PLTR) up 135%, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) up 77%, and Alphabet (GOOGL) up 65% [12] - Despite strong annual performance, Micron was one of the worst-performing stocks on December 31st, down 2.5% [12]