FX.co ★ S&P 500, Dow Hit Fresh Records

U.S. stocks reached record highs on Friday as investors responded to the December jobs report and anticipated guidance from the Federal Reserve. The S&P 500 increased by 0.6%, the Dow advanced by 0.5%, and both achieved new records, while the Nasdaq rose by 0.8%. The December figures revealed a rise in nonfarm payrolls by 50,000, falling short of expectations, yet the unemployment rate decreased to 4.4%, indicating a labor market that remains stable but displays modest growth. The semiconductor sector saw notable gains, driven by investor confidence in AI and semiconductor advancements, with Broadcom rising by 3.8%, Intel surging by 10.8%, and Lam Research climbing by 8.7%. Homebuilding and home improvement companies also performed well, with D.R. Horton gaining 7.8%, PulteGroup up by 7.3%, Lennar increasing by 8.8%, and Home Depot advancing by 2.2%, following President Trump's directive for mortgage bond purchases aimed at reducing rates for buyers. Over the week, all three major indexes demonstrated robust gains, with the S&P 500 climbing 1%, the Nasdaq adding 1.3%, and the Dow advancing by 1.2%.