Risk-on sentiment gained momentum on Wall Street after the Thanksgiving holiday, fueled by investor optimism over fourth-quarter profit forecasts for U.S. corporations, lifting both the S&P 500 and Dow Jones to fresh record highs.
The S&P 500 broke past the 6,040-point mark on Friday and closed at 6,032, extending its year-to-date gains to an impressive 27%. If the year ended on Friday, the broader U.S. stock market would have surged by a staggering 57% over the last two years, representing the strongest such rally since 1998.
The Dow Jones also hit a record-high milestone, surging above the 45,000 level and bringing its year-to-date gains to 19%.
Technology stocks outperformed, with the Nasdaq 100 rising 1% on the day, buoyed by gains in the Magnificent Seven mega caps and semiconductor stocks.
Small caps stocks posted more modest gains, as the Russell 2000 index edged up 0.4%.
In the currency market, the U.S. dollar snapped its eight-week winning streak, pressured by a drop against the Japanese yen amid speculation of a possible Bank of Japan interest rate hike.
In the bond market, Treasury yields edged lower by about 5 basis points, with the 10-year yield approaching 4.2%, a level not seen since late October. The iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (NASDAQ:TLT) rallied 1%, reaching over one-month highs.
Commodities also saw a positive price action. Gold rose 0.8%, marking its fourth consecutive session of gains, and silver jumped 1.4%. Natural gas prices spiked 4.9%, ending the month with a 24% surge. The underperformer was crude, which eased 0.2%.
In cryptocurrency markets, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) rebounded 1.6%, climbing above $97,000 and signaling resilience for the digital asset universe amid broader market enthusiasm.
Friday’s Performance In Major US Indices, ETFs
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Friday’s Stock Movers
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