New York: Wall Street closed at another record following a surprisingly strong report on economic growth over the summer. The S&P 500 rose 0.5 per cent
on Tuesday, beating the all-time high it reached earlier this month. More gains for big tech stocks drove the index higher, even as most stocks in the index fell. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.2 per cent, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.6 per cent. Novo Nordisk jumped after U.S. regulators approved a pill version of the blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy, the first daily oral medication to treat obesity. Treasury yields rose in the bond market.
Stocks are edging closer to records Tuesday following updates that showed the economy grew sharply during the third quarter, but inflation remains high, and consumers are losing confidence. The S&P 500 rose 0.4 per cent and is hovering just above the all-time high it set earlier this month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 91 points, or 0.2 per cent, as of 3:08 p.m. Eastern. The Nasdaq composite rose 0.5 per cent.
A majority of stocks with the S&P 500 were losing ground, but several big technology stocks pushed the market higher. Nvidia rose 2.7per cent and Google’s parent company, Alphabet, rose 1.4per cent. They are among several companies with outsized valuations that tend to have more impact on the broader market’s direction. Novo Nordisk jumped 6.7per cent after U.S. regulators approved a pill version of the blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy, the first daily oral medication to treat obesity.
Wall Street is getting the latest economic updates during an otherwise quiet holiday-shortened week. Markets in the U.S. will close early on Wednesday for Christmas Eve and remain closed for Christmas on Thursday. The U.S. economy grew at a 4.3per cent annual rate during the third quarter. That builds on 3.8per cent growth during the second quarter and marks a sharp turnaround from the first quarter, when the U.S. economy shrank for the first time in three years.
The latest report also showed that stubborn inflation continues to hover over the economy. The Federal Reserve’s favoured inflation gauge — called the personal consumption expenditures index, or PCE — climbed to a 2.8per cent annual pace last quarter, up from 2.1per cent in the second quarter. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.17per cent from 4.15per cent just before the report on gross domestic product for the third quarter was released. The yield on the two-year Treasury, which more closely tracks expectations for Fed actions, rose to 3.53per cent from 3.49per cent just prior to the report’s release.
The Fed has been taking a more cautious policy approach amid mixed signals from the economy. Economic growth has been occurring at the same time that inflation remains stubbornly above the central bank’s 2per cent target. The job market is also slowing, adding another layer of concern to whether the central bank should continue cutting interest rates. On Wednesday, the Labor Department will release its weekly data on applications for jobless benefits, which stands as a proxy for U.S. layoffs.
“The Fed has been balancing off inflation risks versus weakening labor markets and today’s report further complicates their dilemma,” wrote Dominic Pappalardo, chief multi-asset strategist at Morningstar Wealth, in a note to investors. The Fed has cut interest rates three times in 2025, and the central bank’s rate-setting committee is divided about additional rate cuts in 2026. The committee members, at their last meeting, projected a wide range of possibilities from holding rates steady to two or more reductions.
Wall Street expects the Fed to hold rates steady at its upcoming meeting in January. Consumer spending and confidence have been shaky amid worries about high prices, especially with a wide-ranging U.S. trade war that could drive prices for many goods even higher. The latest update from business group The Conference Board showed that consumer confidence fell in December to its lowest level since tariffs were rolled out in April. Meanwhile, retail sales have been weakening, with consumers growing more cautious.
Consumers have become more targeted in their buying during the holiday shopping season, according to Visa’s Consulting and Analytics division. From Nov. 1 through Sunday, cash and credit card sales rose 4.2per cent, which is less than the 4.8per cent increase during the same period a year ago. Markets were mixed in Asia and Europe.
The price of gold continued rising. It rose 0.8per cent to USD 4,505.70 per ounce on Tuesday and is up about 70per cent for the year. Oil prices were relatively stable after jumping a day prior. U.S. benchmark crude rose 0.6per cent to USD 58.38 per barrel. The price of Brent crude, the international standard, rose 0.5 per cent to USD 62.38 a barrel.
