Monthly Archives: December 2025

The Weekly Update

Week of December 29th, 2025
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks delivered for investors last week as positive economic data and bullish holiday cheer powered the start of a “Santa Claus rally” past consumer bah humbug sentiment.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 1.40 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 1.22 percent. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.20 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, moved ahead 1.16 percent.

AI Stock Sleigh Delivers
Stocks rallied at the start of the week, riding pre-holiday momentum as artificial intelligence (AI) related technology names continued to drive gains.

Fresh data out Tuesday initially quashed market momentum, reflecting investor concern that the stronger-than-expected Q3 economic growth might dissuade the Fed from adjusting interest rates in 2026.

But those fears appeared to subside after a Fed official said the U.S. is “way behind the curve in terms of lowering …

The Weekly Update

Week of December 22nd, 2025
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks posted a slight gain last week as mixed jobs data triggered some selling pressure before a cooling inflation report helped stocks recover.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index inched ahead 0.10 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 0.48 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.67 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, rose 0.21 percent.

Round Trip for Stocks
A mixed jobs report on Tuesday created some concerns about the economy, leading the S&P 500 and Dow Industrials to modest declines. However, the tech-heavy Nasdaq posted a modest gain.

Stocks continued their retreat on Wednesday with a handful of AI-related names leading the decline.

Markets then staged a rebound as a fresh inflation report came in cooler than expected for November, raising investor hopes that interest rates may trend lower. The S&P 500 and Dow …

The Weekly Update

Week of December 15th, 2025
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks ended last week mixed. A widely anticipated Federal Reserve decision on interest rates and a rotation into non-tech areas helped push the Dow Industrials higher, while the broader market and technology stocks lagged.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index declined 0.63 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index fell 1.62 percent. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 1.05 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, rose 0.89 percent.

Market Rotation After Fed Decision
Stocks stayed in a fairly tight trading range over the first half of the week. Tech remained a strong spot on Monday despite slight to modest declines in all three major averages.

By Tuesday’s close, all three major averages were slightly to modestly lower week-to-date as the Fed’s last interest-rate-setting meeting of the year approached.

Then, on Wednesday morning, stocks rose ahead of the …

The Weekly Update

Week of December 8th, 2025
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stock prices pushed higher last week, notching multiple records along the way as employment and inflation data took center stage in anticipation of the Fed’s upcoming meeting.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 0.31 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index picked up 0.91 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.50 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, added 0.72 percent.

Fed in Spotlight
Stocks fell to start the week as all three averages snapped a five-day win streak.

Megacap tech stocks then led a recovery rally, which continued its momentum midweek as ADP’s November report showed a decline in private-sector payrolls. Investors welcomed the report, believing it might prompt an interest rate adjustment at the Fed’s upcoming meeting. All three major averages posted modest gains over both Tuesday and Wednesday.

Stocks then largely went sideways, with …

The Weekly Update

Week of December 1st, 2025
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks pushed higher over the holiday week as investors’ hopes for a Fed rate adjustment drove bullish sentiment.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 3.73 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index rallied 4.91 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 3.18 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, increased 3.15 percent.

AI Powered
A rebound rally began on Monday as the artificial intelligence (AI) business strategy of one of the largest megacap tech stocks reignited positive sentiment in the AI trade. The enthusiasm broadened out to a number of AI-related names, lifting the S&P 500 by 1.5 percent and the Nasdaq by 2.7 percent—its biggest one-day gain in more than six months.

Stocks rose again on Tuesday and Wednesday—the third and fourth consecutive trading days of gains, respectively, for all three major averages.

Overall bullish holiday sentiment, …