This live blog is updated consistently throughout the day with the latest market fluctuations. So, it’s Wednesday, and here’s the stock market summary for December 31, 2025. You can check out our daily live updates for the latest details.
Well, 2025 is wrapping up, and the U.S. market is currently closed. Today, around 67.8% of stocks, which is about 3,757, saw declines, while 29.6%, or around 1,642 stocks, rose in value. Major indices, including Nasdaq (-0.76%), Russell 2000 (-0.75%), and S&P 500 (-0.74%), all fell by nearly 1%. The Dow, on the other hand, performed slightly better at -0.63%.
Despite this rough ending, the Nasdaq Composite finished 2025 up over 20% (+20.36%). The S&P 500 and Dow also had a solid year with increases of +16.39% and +12.97%, respectively, marking three years in a row of double-digit gains—a remarkable achievement. The Russell 2000, at +11.45%, managed to enter double digits but struggled, especially due to high interest rates.
Looking ahead, the market will be closed tomorrow, January 1st, for New Year’s Day. I hope you enjoy the holiday and kick off 2026 warmly.
Analysts on Wall Street are feeling confident about the gold forecast reaching $5,000, as this precious metal’s price surged over 62% this year. However, maybe they weren’t fully prepared for the silver market, which has also been quite the rollercoaster. Silver futures have skyrocketed over 133% this year, showing it’s set to close around $70, despite having hit a high of $82 recently.
A lot of that fluctuation happened in the past few days, reflecting how funds have shifted from cryptocurrencies to meme stocks and now metals. It seems this momentum trading in both gold and silver might continue into the next year, potentially buoyed by expert insights and retail interest. Long-term silver holders could end up being the biggest beneficiaries here. Over the last decade, buyers of physical silver have been quietly accumulating their collections, often skeptical of market manipulation by large banks. Silver’s recent strength seems to be tied to increased industrial demand, political pressures on exports, and a shrinking gold-to-silver ratio—it’s shaping up to be one of the best trades of 2025.
As for the last days of the year, the outlook isn’t exactly thrilling. A quick scan shows 65.8% of U.S. stocks are rising, while about 31.4% are falling. Today, the Russell 2000 was down (-0.42%), while the Dow (-0.30%), S&P 500 (-0.27%), and Nasdaq (-0.24%) weren’t too far behind. What’s the takeaway? Come back next year aiming for profits and maybe with a new addition to your portfolio. Still, some businesses are enjoying a notable New Year’s Eve. Let’s check out the top 20 and bottom 20 companies with at least a $2 billion market cap.
On the bright side today, Axsum Therapeutics jumped (+19.91%) after getting a priority review for its new Alzheimer’s treatment AXS-05. There’s also Ondus Holdings (+12.79%), Trump Media (+8.47%), and Applied Digital (+5.6%).
On the flip side, Corcept Therapeutics saw a decline of -48.09% after its drug for hypercortisolism was rejected by the FDA, hitting its prospects hard. We also saw declines from Chinese EV companies: NIO fell -8.36%, Regenesel dropped -7.38%, and Sprott Physical Silver Trust went down -5.7%.
The U.S. stock market opened today with a slight recovery from earlier declines, with the Russell 2000 (+0.06%), Nasdaq (+0.04%), and S&P 500 (+0.03%) showing brief gains. The Dow, however, is down (-0.09%) and has been hovering around the same level since overnight trading. Overall, all four indices seem to be off to a rocky start, suggesting that today might mark the S&P 500’s fourth consecutive day of declines.
Interestingly, Nvidia is enjoying a bump (+0.84%) after securing some major new orders from chip manufacturers. TSMC is also up (+1.5%), thanks partly to strong demand in China for the new H200 chip. With over 2 million units ordered, it’s an impressive figure, though currently, there are only about 700,000 in stock.
There are a few glimmers of hope this morning. Unemployment insurance claims data just came in, revealing that initial claims for the week ending on December 27 were at 199,000—lower than the 220,000 that analysts predicted. This figure is the lowest recorded since the government shutdown at the end of November, although it was almost canceled out by increases in the following week.
This decline in initial unemployment applications has now happened for four weeks straight. The same trend was seen in continuing claims as of December 20, dropping to 1,866,000 from 1,923,000 the prior week. It’s key to note that the labor market is simply slowing down, not collapsing, which could be disappointing for those anticipating a more rapid rate cut from the Fed next year. As Fed officials noted, they’re not pushing forward with cuts unless there’s a clear deterioration in the job market.
That said, it’s wise to be cautious. The fourth quarter typically sees increased hiring due to the holiday season, and that could change as seasonal jobs wrap up and benefits start. Following this release, U.S. stock benchmarks ticked up, with Nasdaq (-0.10%) and S&P 500 (-0.07%) down only slightly in futures trading, as the markets prepare to open soon.
Good morning. It’s been a long journey, but today traders are bidding farewell to a significant year in the market. With just a few hours to go before the market closes for New Year’s Day, Wall Street is about to finish up, locking in deals and closing the books for 2025. We’ll return to our typical operations starting January 2nd.
Today’s modest gains are a pleasant surprise, especially since U.S. stocks have generally struggled since the Christmas holiday. The S&P 500 dipped over the last three sessions, and this morning it seems like futures are gearing up for another down day, with the Nasdaq (-0.28%), Russell 2000 (-0.23%), and S&P 500 (-0.21%) all indicating declines. The Dow fared a little better, decreasing only -0.15%.
This morning comes with a heavy data load, with results from the Mortgage Bankers Association, unemployment insurance claims, and several energy stock and bond auctions just ahead. Housing data should be particularly interesting, following yesterday’s S&P/Case-Shiller index, which reported a 1.3% rise in home prices for October. The MBA’s data is more up-to-date and might reflect a decline after some weak shows in November—keep an eye out for that.
First-time claims also present a bit of an unknown. Recent reports indicate a decrease in initial claims, while ongoing claims have been rising. The data is set to be released at 8:30 a.m. ET.
Not much in terms of significant earnings reports today, which makes sense as many are gearing up for New Year’s Eve celebrations. Who really wants to delve into trading with all that going on?
In terms of metals trading, it’s been pretty erratic lately. Both silver and gold prices seem to be shifting from steady investing towards momentum trading. This morning has seen silver futures drop over 8.3% to $71.50, while gold futures are down 1.42% to $4,324.10.
That’s the latest, and we’ll keep you posted on any changes as the day progresses.
