ssbet77.net
Stocks drifted higher on Wall Street in midday trading Thursday, as gains in tech companies and retailers helped boost the market. The S&P 500 rose less than 0.1%. The benchmark index is coming off a three-day winning streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 19 points, or 0.1%, as of 12:32 p.m. Eastern time. The Nasdaq composite was up less than 0.1%. Trading volume was lighter than usual as U.S. markets reopened after the Christmas holiday. Chip company Broadcom rose 2.9%, Intel was up 0.7% and Apple gained 0.4%. While tech stocks overall were in the green, some heavyweights were a drag on the market. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, slipped 0.2%. Meta Platforms fell 0.9%, Amazon was down 0.5%, and Netflix gave up 1.4%. Health care stocks also helped lift the market. CVS Health rose 1.9% and Walgreens Boots Alliance rose 3.3% for the biggest gain among S&P 500 stocks. Several retailers also gained ground. Target rose 2.9%, Best Buy was up 2.1% and Dollar Tree gained 2.2%. U.S.-listed shares in Honda and Nissan rose 4.1% and 15.8%, respectively. The Japanese automakers announced earlier this week that the two companies are in talks to combine. Traders got a labor market update. U.S. applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week , though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years, the Labor Department reported. Treasury yields rose in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.61% from 4.59% late Tuesday. Major European markets were closed, as well as Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. Trading was expected to be subdued this week with a thin slate of economic data on the calendar. Still, U.S. markets have historically gotten a boost at year’s end despite lower trading volumes. The last five trading days of each year, plus the first two in the new year, have brought an average gain of 1.3% since 1950. So far this month, the U.S. stock market has lost some of its gains since President-elect Donald Trump’s win on Election Day, which raised hopes for faster economic growth and more lax regulations that would boost corporate profits. Worries have risen that Trump’s preference for tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation , a bigger U.S. government debt and difficulties for global trade. Even so, the U.S. market remains on pace to deliver strong returns for 2024. The benchmark S&P 500 is up roughly 26% so far this year and remains near its most recent all-time high it set earlier this month — its latest of 57 record highs this year. Wall Street has several economic reports to look forward to next week, including updates on pending home sales and home prices, a report on U.S. construction spending and snapshots of manufacturing activity. AP Business Writers Elaine Kurtenbach and Matt Ott contributed.
Trump to name hedge fund manager Scott Bessent as Treasury chief: US media
A federal appeals court panel unanimously upheld a law Friday that could lead to a ban on TikTok in a few short weeks, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied TikTok’s petition to overturn the law — which requires TikTok to break ties with its China-based parent company, ByteDance, or be banned by mid-January — and rebuffed the company’s challenge of the statute, which it argued ran afoul of the First Amendment. “The First Amendment exists to protect free speech in the United States,” said the court’s opinion, which was written by Judge Douglas Ginsburg. “Here the Government acted solely to protect that freedom from a foreign adversary nation and to limit that adversary’s ability to gather data on people in the United States.” TikTok and ByteDance — another plaintiff in the lawsuit — are expected to appeal to the Supreme Court, though it’s unclear whether the court will take up the case. “The Supreme Court has an established historical record of protecting Americans’ right to free speech, and we expect they will do just that on this important constitutional issue,” TikTok spokesperson Michael Hughes said in a statement. Though the case is squarely in the court system, it’s also possible the two companies might be thrown some sort of a lifeline by President-elect Donald Trump, who tried to ban TikTok during his first term but said during the presidential campaign that he is now against such action. The law, signed by President Joe Biden in April, was the culmination of a yearslong saga in Washington over the short-form video-sharing app, which the government sees as a national security threat due to its connections to China. The U.S. says it’s concerned about TikTok collecting vast swaths of user data that could fall into the hands of the Chinese government through coercion. Officials also warned the proprietary algorithm that fuels what users see on the app is vulnerable to manipulation by Chinese authorities, who can use it to shape content on the platform in a way that’s difficult to detect. TikTok, which sued the government over the law in May, has long denied it could be used by Beijing to spy on or manipulate Americans. Its attorneys have accurately pointed out that the U.S. hasn’t provided evidence to show that the company handed over user data to the Chinese government, or manipulated content for Beijing’s benefit in the U.S.None
Peoples Financial Corp director Dennis Padrick buys $1,910 in stock
Ruben Amorim has said the Manchester United team’s decision to show solidarity with Noussair Mazraoui by collectively electing not to wear rainbow-themed jackets to support the LGBTQ+ community should be respected. The players were supposed to walk on to the pitch in the garments before their match with Everton on Sunday but Mazraoui refused on grounds of his Muslim faith and his teammates followed suit, resulting in criticism from the Rainbow Devils, the club’s LGBTQ+ supporters’ group, which said the decision was a “great disappointment”. “It was a group decision as players, as it should be,” Amorim said. “There are three difficult things to manage. On one side it’s club values and I think all can agree that it’s not an issue but then you have religion, which you have to respect. It’s our values to respect other opinions. And then the third thing is the group thing. I won’t leave Nous alone – we’re a team. The majority of the players believe in one thing but they saw one guy alone and said: ‘Let’s be together.’ It’s three things we have to manage and respect. It’s a hard issue to address. I think we did it in a good way. This club represents ... we need to respect everything but we also respect the religion of Nous and his culture.” Amorim suffered his first defeat on Wednesday at Arsenal and will aim to make it three Old Trafford wins from three against Nottingham Forest on Saturday evening. Forest are three points and six places above United, who start the weekend in 13th, an indication of the job Amorim has to do. “We’re a massive club but we’re not a massive team and we know it, so it is no problem to say it,” Amorim said. “We want to improve – we are in a different moment from Arsenal. But you could feel it during the game. I think we have to believe more. We weren’t dominant in the game but we had control. Not so many chances for Arsenal, of course a lot of set pieces, but we were OK, especially in the first half. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion “You could feel that there’s so much to do. We need to be better in the final third – they had more danger. I felt Arsenal had problems to block our buildup, but then when they defended the goal it was quite comfortable for them, so we are learning and trying to improve.”December tends to be a busy time filled with parties and socialising. If you need a last-minute outfit for any Christmas occasions, Matalan has some incredible savings on partywear - including a sparkly co-ord set. The Et Vous Silver Sequin Top, £20, and Et Vous Silver Sequin Wide Leg Co-Ord Trousers, £26, have already been going down a storm with shoppers. Fashion influencers have even shared the glitzy outfit to social media. While the full set is usually priced at £46, Matalan Me members can currently save 20%, bringing down the price to £36.80. However, there's a way to slash the total even further and get it for better than half price through TopCashback. Read more: Shoppers racing to Aldi to snap up £15 winter boots that rival £125 M&S pair Read...Live at 6 p.m.: Hawley vs. DGF girls & boys basketball double header on WDAY XtraNone
NoneAnge Postecoglou has opened up on the exasperation he feels at the softness of his Tottenham team in particular moments, which he suggested was linked to mentality. The manager refuses to believe there is an “institutionalised” reason for the club to fall short of their targets and said he would never “palm off responsibility to whatever we’re going through to things that have existed in the past”. But as he looked forward to Sunday’s derby at home to Chelsea, he lingered on the frustration of Thursday’s . After it, some of the travelling support directed abuse at him. What drove Postecoglou to distraction was how, after a reasonable start, his team conceded at the first sign of pressure – allowing Dean Huijsen a free run to head in from a 17th-minute corner. It was Spurs’ third loss in six Premier League games, each against teams that started below them; relegation-threatened Crystal Palace and Ipswich inflicted the others. Spurs, who are 10th, have beaten fourth-placed Manchester City and eighth-placed Aston Villa during the sequence. They drew with Fulham, who are sixth. “The key is to understand that Bournemouth is not a ‘lesser’ team,” Postecoglou said. “They have beaten City and Arsenal at home. We prepared ourselves for a tough game, that was going to be tougher than any other game we were going to face. “And the disappointing thing is that in a game where we started well, we once again allowed the opposition to play the game on their terms by us lacking discipline and conviction in a key moment. We can’t keep doing that.” Postecoglou was asked whether it was a physical issue, one to do with mentality or a mixture of things. “It’s a bit of everything but it can’t be a physical thing when it happens early in the game,” he replied. “We started well. And literally the first time they go up, they get a set piece and they score an unopposed header. You can’t go into a game like that and allow the opposition then to take control. “It doesn’t sit well with me. Nor should it. I’m not going to accept it. My responsibility is to change that because if we’re going to get to where I want us to get to, we need to break that cycle of not showing the belief and resilience in key moments. “Nothing’s changed in terms of my resolve to play the football I want to play. It’s just that we haven’t understood the other side of that and that’s the discipline and resilience to overcome difficult moments so that football we have can come through.” When Spurs prepared for last season’s home fixture with Chelsea at the beginning of November, they were top of the league with eight wins and two draws from 10 games. On a wild night, they sustained two injuries and had two men sent off and still carried the fight, the defining image coming when seven of their outfield players pushed up on the halfway line as Chelsea attacked. , the final two Chelsea goals scored in stoppage time, but Postecoglou’s team were applauded off. Nobody would see the positives in a defeat this time because the climate has changed, the mood as edgy as Spurs have been inconsistent. Including that Chelsea game, Spurs’ record in the league since then reads: W18 D6 L18. “It’s about winning but it’s about belief in what you’re doing sometimes,” Postecoglou said. “You look beyond the results. That’s what happened at the start of my tenure last year. We lost against Chelsea but there was a sense that we were building something. Obviously it kind of went off the rails after that game. It’s not just about winning but where we are right now it will certainly help.” Postecoglou said two weeks ago that if Spurs were 10th at Christmas, there around his position. They go to Southampton in the league next Sunday before hosting Liverpool on the Sunday after that. The injuries have piled up, Ben Davies the latest to go down, to a hamstring problem at Bournemouth. Postecoglou would like to welcome back Cristian Romero, who is scheduled to train on Saturday as he tries to overcome toe and hamstring problems. Postecoglou said he had not yet worked out why the team had been so erratic. “We will keep searching for those answers. Some of it is just around having a competitive squad where there is competition for places which keeps people on edge and we don’t have that at the moment. We haven’t had that for a while. Within the absence of that, we have to find other ways to make sure the players are clear on their responsibilities.” Postecoglou is clear that the bucks stops with him. He said if there was doubt – “whether that’s internally or externally” – it only hardened his resolve to get it right. On the other hand, it was plainly better if the fans backed him; otherwise the culture would become toxic. “Sometimes it doesn’t work out that way so I’ve got to find a way to make that happen.”Enzo Maresca urges Chelsea to exploit 'vulnerable' Tottenham but insists his players should show more discipline than he did in the Turin derby in 2002 Enzo Maresca believes Chelsea can get the better of a 'vulnerable' Spurs side Maresca is eager for his players to show more discipline than he did in 2002 It's All Kicking Off! : Why can't Chelsea win the league? They made seven changes and still scored five. Do you think Liverpool could do that? By KIERAN GILL Published: 17:31 EST, 6 December 2024 | Updated: 17:31 EST, 6 December 2024 e-mail View comments Enzo Maresca wants Chelsea to ‘exploit’ vulnerable Tottenham on Sunday, but the Blues boss has told his players to avoid being as naughty in this seething showdown as he was in the Turin Derby of February 2002. On Friday Maresca discussed the classic 2-2 draw in which he scored an 89th-minute equaliser for Juventus at the home of their rivals Torino. The Italian sparked chaotic scenes as he performed a bull-horn celebration while rampaging around the pitch, in reference to the symbol on their opponents’ badge. It was a moment which went down in Italian football history, though while Maresca wants Chelsea to take advantage of Ange Postecoglou ’s struggles, he called on his players to show more discipline than he managed all those years ago. ‘We try always to exploit,’ Maresca said of taking on a patched-up Spurs, who used Ben Davies in central defence in their 1-0 loss to Bournemouth on Thursday. ‘I think (Cristian) Romero can be back, so probably Romero can be the solution for them in this moment, but we will see. We prepare for the game thinking it will be big. It is a derby, it is Tottenham.’ On his Juventus leveller all those years ago, he said: ‘That was a long time ago. That moment was the last moment of the derby. It was a good game, a warm game. Every player lives the game, the moment, in different ways. I don’t know if they need these kind of things, but they are aware that it is an important game. I don’t know if they need something extra. ‘Today, in football, I know we have many English players but most of them probably come from abroad, they are not even aware about the derby and these kind of things. The only thing is that we try to make sure that every game they are focused and give everything. We don’t change the way we want to be aggressive depending on the other team. Enzo Maresca has urged his Chelsea team to exploit a 'vulnerable' Tottenham side Maresca wants his Chelsea players to be more disciplined than he was for Juventus in 2002 Maresca is confident that Moises Caicedo can continue his impressive form for Chelsea ‘Hopefully we can give our fans a big day, a victory in that. We prepare for the game thinking it will be big. Because first of all it is a derby, it is Tottenham. But at the end, three points against Southampton, three points against Aston Villa, three points against Tottenham, the points are the same.' Maresca added that Moises Caicedo can continue his fine form at Tottenham, saying the Chelsea midfielder has earned the right to be compared to Rodri and Declan Rice. ‘He is for sure now at that level,’ Maresca said. ‘No doubt. Unfortunately, Rodri is injured but Declan is playing. But Moises can sit at that table with that kind of midfielder.’ Maresca is also confident they can do damage as he insisted they should no longer be seen as 'Cole Palmer FC'. Chelsea Enzo Maresca Ben Davies Share or comment on this article: Enzo Maresca urges Chelsea to exploit 'vulnerable' Tottenham but insists his players should show more discipline than he did in the Turin derby in 2002 e-mail Add comment
The ongoing fight between some faculty at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur and the administration at the premier engineering school, mainly the director Virendra Kumar Tewari, may end up before the courts, with the faculty threatening to approach the Calcutta High Court. Some of the professors have also threatened to launch a hunger strike. “We have already sent a letter to the chairman of the board of governors for his intervention. Sit-in demonstration has started since Wednesday. If our demands our not met we would go for a hunger strike. We are also planning to move court early next week,” said one of the professors who received a show-cause notice, asking not to be identified. While the immediate provocation for both the hunger-strike and the plan to move the high court, is a show-cause notice issued by the institution’s registrar last week to 86 faculty members, the controversy has been brewing since September. That was when the Indian Institute of Technology Teachers’ Association (IITTA) sent a letter to the Union human resource development minister accusing the institute’s director of nepotism, arbitrary recruitment of faculty, failure to start a multi super-speciality hospital, unlawful recovery of excess payment from faculties and vitiating the harmony between the IIT campus and the neighbouring community. Tewari, the director of the institute took charge in December 2019 for a period of five years. His tenure ends in January 2025. “The letter sent to the Union minister on September 20 stated that several letters sent to the director, board of governors and the chairman over the issues in the past went unanswered. The ministry was requested to appoint a new director of high academic repute and experienced in practising inclusive governance,” said a second professor and a member of the IITTA, who too didn’t wish to be named. In response, the IIT administration issued show-cause notices to the office bearers of the IITTA, including the body’s president, general secretary, vice president and treasurer on November 12. A separate show-cause notice was issued to Amal Kumar Das, a professor and general secretary of IITTA. “The institute is deeply concerned by the contents of your letter and accordingly you are required to provide a detailed written explanation with evidence,” the letter stated, giving the respondents a week’s time to provide satisfactory explanation. On November 28, 86 faculty members, under the umbrella of IITTA petitioned the institute, threatening to go on a hunger strike if the show cause notices to the four IITTA office-bearers were not rolled recalled. But the institute doubled down and issued show cause notices to these 86 too. “We, the faculty members of IIT Kharagpur demand that the two show cause notices, against the office bearers and Das, be withdrawn immediately and disciplinary proceedings are also stopped,” the petition said. In response, on November 29, the administration issued show-cause notices to all the 86 faculty members. The show-cause letter cited the Conduct Rules of the Institute, statute 15 (17) Schedule B, point 16 (b) which states: “No employee shall be signatory to any joint representation addressed to the authorities for redress of any grievances or of any further matter.” The director also replaced three heads of departments – Artificial Intelligence, Mathematics and Bioscience and Biotechnology, earlier this week. They had all signed the petition. HT got in touch with the IIT Kharagpur director’s office and sent an email seeking his response on the developments. There was no response till the time of going to print. On Wednesday, at least 100 professors staged a sit-in before the institution’s administrative building, holding placards and wearing black badges.
None
Stock market today: Stocks drift higher as US markets reopen after a holiday pauseLatest employment data shows little change in tech job market, CompTIA analysis finds
Big Ten: Penn State over Oregon in Indianapolis? It's not a stretch at allNone
Marathon petroleum director Jeffrey Campbell acquires $897,644 in stockNavigating Marriage and Mental Health TogetherRoss Doohan determined to be Aberdeen’s No.1 – even after Dimitar Mitov returns from injuryWASHINGTON (AP) — A freelance photographer and local government official from Illinois has been arrested on charges alleging he joined a mob's attack on the U.S. Capitol and pushed against a police officer’s riot shield, according to court records unsealed on Friday. Patrick Gorski, 27, was arrested in Chicago on Thursday on charges including obstructing law enforcement officers during a civil disorder, a felony. A federal judge ordered him released on bond after his initial court appearance. Gorski didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment. An attorney who represented him after his arrest declined to comment on Gorski's behalf. Authorities allege that during the attack, Gorski climbed scaffolding, breaching police lines, and took photos and videos inside the building. He yelled at officers, pushed against an officer's riot shield and was eventually forced out after being sprayed with a chemical irritant, authorities said. When the FBI interviewed him, Gorski did not claim that he was working as a photojournalist during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot and said he didn't bring his professional camera to the Capitol. He told federal agents that he had worked as a photographer for the Chicago Fire Department and for Donald Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign. He has not professionally published any photographs of the Capitol riot, according to the FBI. An FBI agent’s affidavit says some of Gorski’s sports photographs are available through Getty Images and have been “picked up” by The Associated Press and USA Today. Authorities said Gorski has continued to take photos at some local sporting events in Chicago but hasn't published any political photographs in the last five years. Gorski is not an Associated Press journalist and has never been employed by the news organization, said Lauren Easton, AP's vice president of corporate communications. "We have distributed some photos he took for AP’s photo partners and member news organizations," Easton said in a statement. Gorski's resume says he works as a building commissioner for the Village of Norridge, Illinois, and graduated earlier this year from Southeastern Illinois University with a master’s degree in public administration. He attended then-President Trump's “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House on Jan. 6 before he marched to the Capitol in a group of people that included conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and Owen Shroyer , who has hosted a show on Jones' Infowars website. On the west side of the Capitol, Gorski climbed up a wall onto stairs, helped another rioter onto the wall and removed a tarp covering scaffolding, according to the FBI. He climbed up and down the scaffolding before he helped pass a bike rack to other rioters, the agent's affidavit says. Gorski pointed and yelled at police officers outside the building. He also clapped and chanted, “Let us in!” After rioters broke through a police lines and sent officers retreating, Gorski hung a flag over the edge of a balcony. Gorski used his phone to take photos or videos inside a tunnel entrance that police were guarding, according to the affidavit. He screamed at the officers, “This is our house!” as he pushed against an officer’s riot shield, the FBI said. Gorski left the tunnel after several minutes and entered the Capitol through the Senate Wing door, taking more photos or videos inside the building, the affidavit says. An officer had to forcibly move Gorski from a doorway in another part of the Capitol, according to the agent. Gorski retreated after police sprayed him with a chemical irritant. Approximately one year after the attack, the FBI received a tip that Gorski had posted photos of the riot in a group chat with friends. More than 1,500 people have been charged with federal crimes stemming from the Capitol riot.
Apple Unusual Options Activity For December 066 Money Moves You Should Make Before the End of the Year
In the early hours of a Wednesday morning, 95-year-old nursing-home resident Clare Nowland climbed out of bed, grabbed her four-wheeled walker and began shuffling through the facility's dimly lit corridors. or signup to continue reading Only a few hours later, the great-grandmother was on her back with a fatal head injury after being tasered by police. The officer who pulled the weapon's trigger was Senior Constable Kristian James Samuel White, who was called to the Yallambee Lodge aged-care centre in the southern NSW town of Cooma on May 17, 2023. Just after 3am that day, Mrs Nowland had arisen before eventually finding her way to a kitchenette, where she grabbed two steak knives and a jar of prunes. The elderly woman, who had symptoms of dementia, was later coaxed out of the rooms of two other residents by nursing staff but refused to move from a third. As a call was made about 4.10am by a registered nurse asking triple zero for an ambulance, Mrs Nowland threw one of the knives at a carer. The blade missed, flying through the doorway and falling harmlessly onto the corridor floor. After staff locked the 95-year-old in the room, she escaped by a back door and vanished. It was into that situation that White arrived with his partner and senior officer, acting Sergeant Jessica Pank, and two paramedics. The four of them searched the grounds with the nurse, eventually finding Mrs Nowland about 5.10am. She was seated next to her walker on a wheeled chair in a treatment room. The 95-year-old was holding the remaining knife and a black penlight. Less than three minutes later, White had discharged his taser, hitting the 95-year-old in the torso, causing her to crumple forward and fall onto her back. "Nah, bugger it," he said before firing. Mrs Nowland was stretchered out of the facility and taken to Cooma Hospital, where she suffered a brain bleed due to the blunt-force trauma she suffered when she hit her head in the fall. She died a week later. After eight hours of deliberations, a NSW Supreme Court jury is yet to decide whether White will be convicted or acquitted of manslaughter. They will reconvene for their deliberations on Monday. The 34-year-old officer has been accused of unlawfully killing Mrs Nowland through either criminal negligence by breaching his duty of care or by committing an unlawful and dangerous act that exposed her to a risk of serious injury. He has always said his decision to fire the Taser was a reasonable use of force that was proportionate to the risk the great-grandmother posed with the knife. "As a violent confrontation was imminent and to prevent injury to police, the Taser was discharged," he wrote in a police entry describing the incident. In bodyworn footage played to the court, White was heard talking to Sgt Pank about the sharpness of the knife and plans to either grab it from her hand or kick the wheels of her walker. Neither strategy succeeded and Mrs Nowland was shot around two and a half minutes after police and paramedics located her. "Oh, s***," Sgt Pank was heard saying as the 95-year-old fell to the floor. "Got her, grab it, grab it, grab it," White yelled, signalling others to seize the knife. After loading Mrs Nowland into the ambulance, Sgt Pank radioed back to Cooma police station. "Female is fine, has small lump on head, the ambos are managing," she said. But one of the paramedics told the court he noticed a large bruise-like mark on Mrs Nowland's head and facial droop, which indicated a significant brain bleed. The 95-year-old's daughter, Lesley Lloyd, said she was initially only told her mother had a fall and had been taken to hospital. It was only later, after they had gathered around her mother's bedside, that she was told the incident involved a police Taser. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Advertisement AdvertisementJulen Lopetegui admits West Ham fan fury is fair after supporters called for him to be sacked during defeat by Leicester - as under-fire Spaniard reveals he is in regular contact with Hammers co-owner David Sullivan
Stocks drifted higher on Wall Street in midday trading Thursday, as gains in tech companies and retailers helped boost the market. The S&P 500 rose less than 0.1%. The benchmark index is coming off a three-day winning streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 19 points, or 0.1%, as of 12:32 p.m. Eastern time. The Nasdaq composite was up less than 0.1%. Trading volume was lighter than usual as U.S. markets reopened after the Christmas holiday. Chip company Broadcom rose 2.9%, Intel was up 0.7% and Apple gained 0.4%. While tech stocks overall were in the green, some heavyweights were a drag on the market. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, slipped 0.2%. Meta Platforms fell 0.9%, Amazon was down 0.5%, and Netflix gave up 1.4%. Health care stocks also helped lift the market. CVS Health rose 1.9% and Walgreens Boots Alliance rose 3.3% for the biggest gain among S&P 500 stocks. Several retailers also gained ground. Target rose 2.9%, Best Buy was up 2.1% and Dollar Tree gained 2.2%. U.S.-listed shares in Honda and Nissan rose 4.1% and 15.8%, respectively. The Japanese automakers announced earlier this week that the two companies are in talks to combine. Traders got a labor market update. U.S. applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week , though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years, the Labor Department reported. Treasury yields rose in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.61% from 4.59% late Tuesday. Major European markets were closed, as well as Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. Trading was expected to be subdued this week with a thin slate of economic data on the calendar. Still, U.S. markets have historically gotten a boost at year’s end despite lower trading volumes. The last five trading days of each year, plus the first two in the new year, have brought an average gain of 1.3% since 1950. So far this month, the U.S. stock market has lost some of its gains since President-elect Donald Trump’s win on Election Day, which raised hopes for faster economic growth and more lax regulations that would boost corporate profits. Worries have risen that Trump’s preference for tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation , a bigger U.S. government debt and difficulties for global trade. Even so, the U.S. market remains on pace to deliver strong returns for 2024. The benchmark S&P 500 is up roughly 26% so far this year and remains near its most recent all-time high it set earlier this month — its latest of 57 record highs this year. Wall Street has several economic reports to look forward to next week, including updates on pending home sales and home prices, a report on U.S. construction spending and snapshots of manufacturing activity. AP Business Writers Elaine Kurtenbach and Matt Ott contributed.
