U.S. stock futures traded lower early Monday, after the S&P 500 (SPX) hit fresh record highs, with 2025 nearing its close. Futures on the Nasdaq 100 (NDX), the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), and the S&P 500 Index were down 0.18%, 0.11%, and 0.13%, respectively, at 4:34 a.m. EST on December 29.
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Those moves followed Friday’s session, when the S&P 500 hit an intraday high of 6,945.77 before ending nearly flat. The market sentiment stayed positive, helped by a broad rise in metals, steady demand for AI chip stocks, and stable economic data.
Overall, 2025 has been a strong year for U.S. markets. The S&P 500 is up 17.7% year-to-date, while the Dow has gained 14.5%, marking its best annual run since 2021. The Nasdaq Composite has led the gains, rising 22.2% so far this year.
The Santa Claus rally period is underway, with major indexes holding near record highs as the year comes to a close.
Looking ahead, the data calendar is light this week. Still, investors will get one more signal on policy direction when the Federal Reserve releases minutes from its December meeting on Wednesday.
The U.S. 10-year Treasury yield was slightly down, floating near 4.11%. However, WTI crude oil futures were trending higher, hovering near $61.5 per barrel as of the last check. Meanwhile, the Gold Spot U.S. dollar price decreased to nearly $4,464 per ounce.
Elsewhere, European stocks opened the final trading week of 2025 slightly higher, with a strong year for global assets nearing its close.
Asia-Pacific Markets Traded Mixed Today
Asia-Pacific markets opened the final trading week of the year on a mixed note.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index closed 0.71% lower. In China, the Shanghai Composite rose 0.04%, while the Shenzhen Component was down 0.49%. Meanwhile, Japan’s Nikkei lost 0.44%, and the Topix rose 0.10%.
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