S&P 500, Russell 2000 Soar To Record Highs, Silver Jumps To $80: What's Moving Markets Friday?

Market Overview - Wall Street closed the week on a positive note, with solid but unspectacular jobs data alleviating fears of a sharp labor market slowdown while maintaining expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts [1] - The S&P 500 and Russell 2000 reached new record highs, with the S&P 500 rising 0.7% to above 6,970 points and the Russell 2000 increasing 1.2% to 2,635 [2] - Blue-chip stocks remained near record levels, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average around 49,555 and the Nasdaq 100 advancing 1% [3] Employment Data - December nonfarm payrolls increased by 50,000, slightly below the expected 60,000, indicating a continued cooling in employment growth [4] - The unemployment rate unexpectedly declined to 4.4% from 4.5%, suggesting potential stabilization in the labor market [4] - Consumer sentiment improved, with the University of Michigan index rising to 54, the highest level since September [4] Federal Reserve Expectations - Investors are nearly fully pricing in the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates unchanged at its late-January meeting, with expectations for two rate cuts later in the year still alive [5] Notable Company Movements - Vistra Corp. shares surged over 13% after securing a 20-year agreement with Meta Platforms Inc. to supply more than 2,600 megawatts of zero-carbon energy from nuclear plants [5] - Intel Corp. shares jumped 10%, reaching their highest levels since March 2024, following positive remarks from President Donald Trump about a meeting with CEO Lip-Bu Tan [6] Commodity Performance - Commodities saw gains, with silver rising 4% to $80 per ounce, gold increasing 0.6% to $4,500 per ounce, and copper climbing nearly 2% [6] - Crude oil was on track for a weekly gain, with WTI crude advancing by 3% on both Thursday and Friday [7] Major Indices Performance - Major U.S. indices showed positive performance on Friday, with the Nasdaq 100 up 1%, S&P 500 up 0.7%, Dow Jones up 0.6%, and Russell 2000 up 1.1% [8] - The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF advanced 0.7% to $638.49, while the Invesco QQQ Trust Series climbed 1.0% to $626.40 [9]