Markets Risk-On with Venezuela News, Deregulation

Market Overview - Major market indexes experienced a "risk on" trading sentiment, with the Dow reaching a record high of 48,977, gaining 594 points (+1.23%) [2][7] - The S&P 500 and Nasdaq also saw gains, with the S&P up 43 points (+0.64%) and the Nasdaq up 160 points (+0.69%) [2][7] - The small-cap Russell 2000 led the gains, increasing by 39 points (+1.58%) [2] Oil & Gas Sector - The U.S. invasion of Venezuela, aimed at controlling its vast oil reserves, has positively impacted the oil & gas sector [1] - Notable performers included Valero and SLB, both up 9%, and Phillips 66, which rose 7% [3] - Chevron, a major player in the sector, increased by 5.1% [3] - Venezuela is reported to have $17 trillion in oil reserves, attracting significant investor interest [3] E-commerce Sector - MercadoLibre, a leading Latin American e-commerce company, rose by 8.8%, driven by positive sentiment regarding Venezuela [4] Banking Sector - Bank stocks are on the rise due to anticipated deregulation in 2026, with Citigroup shares up 3.9% and a total gain of 65% over the past year [5] - Other banks also showed strong performance: Goldman Sachs (+53%), Morgan Stanley (+41%), and JPMorgan (+34%) [5] - The easing of regulatory standards is expected to benefit both large Wall Street firms and smaller regional banks [5] Manufacturing Sector - The ISM Manufacturing index for December reported a decline to 47.9%, the lowest since October, falling short of the expected 48.3% [9] - Production and inventories decreased, while new orders and backlogs showed improvement, indicating a mixed outlook for the manufacturing sector [9]