Stocks end the day higher helped by buying into the close

The major US indices Indices Stock market indices represents an index that measures a particular stock market or a segment of the stock market. These instruments are important investors as they help compare current price levels with past prices to calculate market performance.The main two parameters for indices are that they are both investable and transparent. For example, investors can invest in a stock market index by buying an index fund, which is structured as either a mutual fund or an exchange-traded fund, and track Stock market indices represents an index that measures a particular stock market or a segment of the stock market. These instruments are important investors as they help compare current price levels with past prices to calculate market performance.The main two parameters for indices are that they are both investable and transparent. For example, investors can invest in a stock market index by buying an index fund, which is structured as either a mutual fund or an exchange-traded fund, and track Read this Term are in the day with gains in what was an up-and-down session, but with buying into the close.

The day also ends the so-called "Santa Claus Rally" period. That period covers five days before the end of the year and two days after the new year. For the S&P, the index gained 0.80%. Put a check mark in the win column for 2022.

The final numbers for the major indices are showing:

• Dow Industrial Average rose by 133.40 points or 0.4% at 33269.78
• S&P index rose by 28.79 points or 0.75% at 3852.92
• NASDAQ index rose 71.79 points or 0.69% at 10458.77
• Russell 2000 index 21.80 points or 1.25% at 1772.54

For the Santa Claus Rally period:

• Dow rose by 0.73%
• S&P rose by 0.80%
• Nasdaq NASDAQ The Nasdaq Stock Market or NASDAQ is an American stock exchange. It trails only the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in market capitalization and is part of a network of stock markets and options exchanges.Launched back in 1971, NASDAQ is the acronym for the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations. Since then it is known simply as NASDAQ and has become one of the most influential exchanges worldwide.The NASDAQ was the world’s first electronic stock market, and has since ass The Nasdaq Stock Market or NASDAQ is an American stock exchange. It trails only the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in market capitalization and is part of a network of stock markets and options exchanges.Launched back in 1971, NASDAQ is the acronym for the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations. Since then it is known simply as NASDAQ and has become one of the most influential exchanges worldwide.The NASDAQ was the world’s first electronic stock market, and has since ass Read this Term fell by -0.17%

Looking at the 11 sectors of the S&P, all ended the day with all ended the day with gains gains

The biggest winning sectors were:

• real estate +2.29%
• materials +1.74%
• financials +1.59%

The laggard sectors included

• energy +0.06%
• healthcare +0.25%
• information technology +0.26%

The stocks rallied despite a sharp fall in Microsoft shares. The price of MSFT fell -$10.48 or -4.37% to 229.10. The low reached 225.96 which was the lowest since November 9 before rebounding modestly into the close. The catalyst was a downgrade by UBS to neutral from by on the back of weakness in cloud.