Russell 2000 Extends Record Run, Electricity Stocks Swing: What's Moving Markets Friday?

Market Performance - Small-cap stocks, represented by the Russell 2000, reached a new all-time high for the eleventh consecutive session, outperforming the S&P 500 for eleven straight days, marking the longest streak since 2008 [1] - By midday trading, the Russell 2000 rose by 0.5%, while large-cap indices remained broadly flat [3][6] - The iShares Russell 2000 ETF increased by 0.4% to $266.58, while other major ETFs showed mixed performance [7] Economic Indicators - Industrial production increased by 0.4% last month, and retail sales indicated strong consumer spending, contributing to a positive outlook for the U.S. economy [2] - The Atlanta Fed's GDPNow model estimates a robust annualized economic growth rate of 5.3% for the fourth quarter [2] Sector Movements - Electricity-related stocks experienced significant volatility, with GE Vernova Inc. surging over 7%, while Constellation Energy Corp. and Vistra Corp. fell by 10% and 8%, respectively, due to concerns over potential electricity price caps [4][9] - In the technology sector, Micron Technology Inc. saw a gain of over 5% following a significant share purchase by a board member [4] Precious Metals and Cryptocurrencies - Precious metals experienced a sharp pullback, with gold decreasing by 0.7% to approximately $4,580 per ounce and silver dropping over 4% to $88 [5] - Bitcoin fell by 0.8% to $94,500, while the U.S. dollar slightly strengthened amid speculation regarding Federal Reserve leadership [5]