Stocks Settle Higher in Last Day of 2019
The S&P and Nasdaq both had their best years since 2013
Stocks clung close to breakeven today, though the Dow managed to settle higher. This came after traders considered a tweet from President Donald Trump saying he'll sign a trade deal with China by Jan. 15. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq and S&P both managed a small win as well amid light New Year's Eve trading volume. For the year, all three indexes enjoyed major gains, with the S&P and Nasdaq enjoying their best years since 2013.
Continue reading for more on today's market, including:.
Behind these 3 red-hot pot stocks' impressive year-end surges. Why bulls should be targeting INTU stock right now. Plus, the pharma stock to avoid next month; NVDA gets a bull note; Morgan Stanley takes stake in TORC.The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI - 28,538.44) added 76.3 points, or 0.3%. IBM (IBM) led the 26 winners with a 0.9% pop, while Walmart (WMT) sunk to the bottom on a 0.5% dip.The index added 22.3% this year.
The S&P 500 Index (SPX - 3,230.78) settled 9.5 points, or 0.3%, higher, and added 28.9% in 2019, while the Nasdaq Composite (IXIC - 8,972.60) tacked on 26.6 points, or 0.3%, with a 35.2% win for the year.
The Cboe Volatility Index (VIX - 13.78) lost 1 point, or 7%. For 2019, the index lost 45.8%.
5 Items on Our Radar Today
Ex-Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn, in a statement on Tuesday, said that he has left Japan and is now living in Lebanon, adding that he will "no longer be held hostage by a rigged Japanese system where guilt is presumed." The chairman was forced to resign and subsequently arrested over a year ago on suspicions of money laundering and other financial crimes. (CNBC)Several fatal bushfires on Autralia's east coast have driven many to the country's beaches today. So far, the bushfires have consumed and desecrated over 10 million acres of land and taken 11 lives. (Reuters)Watch out for this pharma stock in January. Behind NVDA's New Year's Eve bull note. The penny stock popping after Morgan Stanley takes stake.There are no earnings of note today.
Data courtesy of Trade-Alert
Gold Celebrates Strongest Year Since 2010
Oil continued to slip today, but managed an 11% pop for the month and a more than 34% surge on the year -- its best since 2016. February-dated crude futures lost 62 cents, or1% to end at $61.06 per barrel.
Gold notched its sixth straight win today, to hit its highest amount since late-September, eked out a fifth consecutive win today, as stocks continued to cool. Not only that, the precious metal added 18.9% for the year, marking its biggest annual jump since 2010. February gold futures settled up $4.50 or 0.3% end at $1,523.10 an ounce.