WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Following the downward move seen to close out 2025, stocks fluctuated over the course of the first trading day of 2026 on Friday before eventually ending the day little changed.
While the tech-heavy Nasdaq edged down 6.36 points or less than a tenth of a percent to 23,235.63, the S&P 500 crept up 12.97 points or 0.2 percent to 6,858.47.
The narrower Dow showed a more notable move to the upside, climbing 319.10 points or 0.7 percent to 48,382.39.
For the holiday-interrupted week, the Nasdaq tumbled by 1.5 percent, the S&P 500 slumped by 1.0 percent and the Dow slid by 0.7 percent.
The advance by the blue chip index on the day came amid strong gains by Boeing (BA), Caterpillar (CAT) and Goldman Sachs (GS).
Meanwhile, the lackluster performance by the broader markets came as some traders remained away from their desks following the New Year's Day holiday on Thursday.
A lack of major U.S. economic data may also have kept some traders on the sidelines ahead of the release of several key reports next week, including the closely watched monthly jobs report.
Sector News
Semiconductor stocks showed a substantial move to the upside on the day, resulting in a 4.0 percent surge by the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index.
Micron Technology (MU) helped to lead the sector higher, with the chipmaker spiking by 10.5 percent to a record closing high.
Oil service stocks also saw significant strength despite a modest decrease by the price of crude oil, driving the Philadelphia Oil Service Index up by 3.9 percent.
Computer hardware, banking and networking stocks also showed strong moves to the upside, while software stocks moved sharply lower.
Other Markets
In overseas trading, stock markets across the Asia-Pacific region moved mostly higher on Friday, with several major markets closed for holidays. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index surged by 2.8 percent, while South Korea's Kospi jumped by 2.3 percent.
The major European markets also moved to the upside on the day. While the French CAC 40 Index advanced by 0.6 percent, the German DAX Index and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 Index both rose by 0.2 percent.
In the bond market, treasuries extended the downward move seen over the two previous sessions. Subsequently, the yield on the benchmark ten-year note, which moves opposite of its price, climbed 2.4 basis points to 4.187 percent.
Looking Ahead
Next week's trading may be impacted by reaction to some key U.S. economic data, including the closely watched monthly jobs report.
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