How Major US Stock Indexes Performed on December 20, 2024

On December 20, 2024, U.S. stock markets experienced a notable increase, transforming what was expected to be one of the worst weeks for investors into a relatively manageable one. The S&P 500 index saw a rally of 1.1% on Friday, which reduced its weekly loss down to 2%.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged by nearly 500 points, showcasing a gain of 1.2%, while the Nasdaq composite also climbed 1%, adding to the positive trend.

This upward momentum was further supported by a report indicating that a key measure of inflation preferred by the Federal Reserve was slightly lower than analysts had anticipated for the previous month. This news was particularly encouraging as the Fed had recently surprised the markets on Wednesday by stating that inflation concerns could delay potential interest rate cuts in 2025 more than previously expected.

End of the Week Performance

As the trading week concluded, the specific performances of the major U.S. indexes were as follows:

The S&P 500 rose by 63.77 points, bringing its total to 5,930.85.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 498.02 points, finishing at 42,840.26.

The Nasdaq composite gained 199.83 points, closing at 19,572.60.

Additionally, the Russell 2000 index, which tracks smaller companies, saw a slight increase of 20.87 points, or 0.9%, bringing it to 2,242.37.

Weekly Overview

For the week overall, the following losses were recorded:

The S&P 500 reported a decrease of 120.24 points, or 2%.

The Dow experienced a dip of 987.80 points, translating to a 2.3% drop.

The Nasdaq index was down by 354.13 points, or 1.8%.

The Russell 2000 fell by 104.52 points, marking a 4.5% decline.

Year-to-Date Performance

Despite the weekly struggles, the year-to-date figures were more promising:

The S&P 500 was up 1,161.02 points, representing an increase of 24.3% for the year.

The Dow had gained 5,150.72 points, or 13.7%.

The Nasdaq showed substantial growth with an increase of 4,561.25 points, or 30.4%.

Meanwhile, the Russell 2000 index was 215.30 points higher, equating to a 10.6% rise.

Stocks, Market, Inflation