U.S. Stock Market Update
The U.S. stock markets will observe a closure for Thanksgiving this Thursday, resuming operations at 1 PM ET on Friday.
With roughly three hours of trading left this month, major U.S. indexes appear to be concluding November on a downturn, according to CNBC’s estimates.
As per the closing figures from Wednesday, the S&P 500 has registered a decline of 0.4% for the month so far. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has also dipped, down 0.29% in the same timeframe. On the other hand, the Nasdaq Composite, affected by a slump in technology stocks, has seen a sharper decrease of 2.15%, trailing behind its counterparts.
Unless there’s a significant uptick during the shortened trading session on Friday—a development that might raise more eyebrows regarding the market’s long-term sustainability—the index could be set to end its winning streak. Both the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average have enjoyed gains over the last six months, while the Nasdaq Composite has been on an upward trend for seven months.
This potential downturn would be a deviation from historical trends. Since 1950, the S&P 500 index has typically recorded an average gain of 1.8% in November. In the year following U.S. presidential elections, there’s generally a rise of about 1.6%.
However, this year does not seem to align with the typical post-election narrative. It appears unlikely that the market will adhere to its historical patterns in the months or years ahead.
Key Points to Note Today
Stock futures were nearly unchanged on Thursday night. In the Asia-Pacific markets, there was a mixed performance on Friday since they were closed during the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S. The Nikkei Stock Average in Japan experienced a rise amid fluctuating trading following unexpected inflation figures in Tokyo.
President Trump announces immigration suspensions. The U.S. president stated in a post on Truth Social that he plans to halt immigration from certain “Third World countries” and terminate federal benefits for “non-citizens” residing in the U.S. Specific nations affected were not mentioned.
South Korea imposes sanctions on Prince Group. This Cambodian conglomerate has been accused of large-scale fraud across Southeast Asia, prompting the U.S., U.K., and Singapore to enact punitive measures against it.
Russia expresses readiness for serious peace negotiations. In a statement translated by Reuters, Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated that a U.S.-led framework could form the basis for future agreements, saying the U.S. seems to be acknowledging Moscow’s position.
[PRO] Bank of America remains cautious about future gains. Strategists from the bank predict that the S&P 500 index may rise only by single digits in 2026, reflecting a slowdown compared to recent years as one of its supporting factors diminishes.
And finally…
An operator is seen working at the data center of French company OVHcloud in Roubaix, northern France, as of April 3, 2025.
Europe’s methodical approach to AI may offer an advantage. While Europe might not take the lead in creating AI hyperscalers or training facilities, it seems to be positioned better for smaller, cloud-oriented connectivity facilities. Seb Dooley, senior fund manager at Principal Asset Management, remarked that the more complex something is to replicate, the more valuable it tends to be in the long run.
