Light New Year’s Eve trading saw a late-December pullback, with the S&P 500 falling 0.74%, Nasdaq Composite losing 0.76%, and Dow Jones slipping 0.63%. Chinese EV makers Nio and Xpeng were among notable Nasdaq decliners, while real estate-linked stocks like Prologis slipped. The S&P 500 finished the year up 16%, Nasdaq Composite up 20%, and Dow Jones up 13%. Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin ended the year down over 6%. AI and data-center enthusiasm drove upward momentum, with gold up almost 65% and silver up 170% as safe havens against geopolitical uncertainty.

Investors are watching for clues on Federal Reserve rate cuts and wider economic moves in 2026. Traders will pay attention to job and inflation data to determine market trends. Sandisk and Seagate Technology were among the biggest gainers this year. Market analysts revealed the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now, available through Stock Advisor.

Read more at Nasdaq: Stock Market Today, Dec. 31: Lackluster Year End Barely Dents 2025’s Double Digit Gains