Benzinga·2026-01-02 07:06Market Sentiment - The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed a decline in overall market sentiment, remaining in the "Neutral" zone with a current reading of 45.8, down from 48.4 [1][4] - U.S. stocks settled lower, with the Dow Jones index falling more than 300 points, closing at 48,063.29, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite also recorded declines [1][3] Stock Performance - The S&P 500 increased by 16.39% for the year, marking its third consecutive double-digit annual surge, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 20.36% and the Dow added 12.97% in 2025 [2] - Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. saw its shares jump over 25% after receiving FDA approval for NEREUS, aimed at preventing motion-induced vomiting [2] - FuelCell Energy Inc. experienced an 8% decline in its shares following the filing for an amended common stock offering [2] Economic Data - U.S. initial jobless claims decreased by 16,000 to 199,000 for the week ending December 27, which was better than market estimates of 220,000 [3] - All sectors on the S&P 500 closed negatively, with real estate, industrials, and materials stocks experiencing the largest losses [3]