2025-12-16 21:21:00
U.S. stocks ended the day mostly lower, with a defensive tone creeping back into the market as investors remained selective and cautious. The Dow led the decline, weighed down by cyclical and industrial names, while small caps also underperformed, reflecting ongoing uncertainty around growth and rates. Tech held up better, helping the Nasdaq finish modestly higher, but the gains were narrow and selective rather than broad-based.
The S&P 500 slipped modestly, as most sectors closed in the red. Communication services and health care were notable laggards, while financials and consumer discretionary provided some support but not enough to turn the broader market higher. The mixed sector performance reinforced the sense of rotation rather than outright risk-taking.
Outside the U.S., European equity markets also closed lower, adding to the cautious backdrop. Meanwhile, oil prices dropped sharply, pressuring energy stocks, while precious metals eased. Bitcoin moved higher, standing out as a relative outperformer in an otherwise risk-averse session.
A snapshot of the major indices shows:
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Dow Jones: 48,114.26, -302.30 (-0.62%)
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S&P 500: 6,800.26, -16.25 (-0.24%)
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Nasdaq: 23,111.46, +54.05 (+0.23%)
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Russell 2000: 2,519.30, -11.36 (-0.45%)
Looking at the winning and losing sectors of the S&P,
Gainers
Laggards
European indices were also lower with Spain’s Ibex, UK FTSE 100 and Germany’s Dax all falling between -0.63% to -0.70%
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DAX: -0.63%
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CAC 40: -0.23%
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FTSE 100: -0.68%
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IBEX 35: -0.70%
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FTSE MIB: -0.29%
In other markets near the end of day:
