BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA
U.S. stocks pushed higher on Tuesday afternoon, edging closer to new all-time highs as gains in major technology companies helped offset pockets of weakness elsewhere in the market.
The S&P 500 rose 0.6 percent, hovering near the record level it set in late December. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 483 points, or about 1 percent, building on the milestone it reached a day earlier. The Nasdaq composite also advanced 0.6 percent by early afternoon trading.
Large technology companies were again at the center of the market’s momentum. Amazon surged nearly 4 percent, providing a significant lift given its massive market value and broad reach across retail, cloud computing and artificial intelligence. Its strength helped counter declines in other influential names, including Apple, which slipped 1.7 percent.
Micron Technology posted one of the day’s strongest gains among chipmakers, climbing 7.8 percent as enthusiasm continued to build around demand for memory chips tied to artificial intelligence and data centers. Nvidia, often the single biggest driver of daily market moves, swung between gains and losses before settling slightly higher, up about 0.1 percent.
One of the most dramatic moves came from Sandisk, which soared 23 percent to lead the market. The company’s stock has risen more than eightfold since it was spun off from Western Digital last February. Investors have poured into the shares on expectations that artificial intelligence applications will continue to drive robust demand for data-storage hardware. Western Digital also benefited, rising 15.8 percent.
Technology stocks, particularly those linked to artificial intelligence, are under close scrutiny this week as industry leaders gather in Las Vegas for the annual CES trade show. The sector was a major force behind the market’s string of records in 2025, and investors are watching closely for announcements that could clarify how much companies plan to spend on AI infrastructure and development in the year ahead.
Beyond equities, other parts of the market reflected shifting sentiment. Benchmark U.S. crude oil fell 1.4 percent, retreating from sharp gains recorded a day earlier when prices jumped following news of a U.S. military operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Energy traders reassessed the longer-term impact as immediate fears of supply disruptions eased.
In the bond market, Treasury yields moved higher. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 4.18 percent from 4.15 percent late Monday, while the two-year yield, which tends to track expectations for Federal Reserve policy, climbed to 3.48 percent from 3.45 percent.
Precious metals also advanced. Gold prices rose about 1 percent and silver jumped 5.7 percent, continuing a strong run that has pushed both metals to record levels over the past year. Investors often turn to gold and silver as perceived safe havens during periods of geopolitical tension and economic uncertainty, including concerns tied to conflicts and trade disputes.
Stock markets in Europe and Asia also closed higher, reflecting a broadly positive global tone.
Looking ahead, Wall Street is turning its attention to a busy slate of U.S. economic data that could shape expectations for growth and interest rates in early 2026. Several reports on the labor market are due this week, along with updates on the services sector and consumer sentiment.
On Wednesday, the government is set to release data on job openings for November, following an October report that showed little change. Weekly unemployment claims will be published Thursday, and the closely watched monthly employment report for December is scheduled for Friday.
Additional insight into the health of the economy will come from the Institute for Supply Management’s services sector report on Wednesday and the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment survey on Friday. The services industry accounts for the majority of U.S. economic activity, while consumer confidence has remained fragile amid elevated prices and lingering uncertainty.
All of the data will feed into the Federal Reserve’s decision-making ahead of its next policy meeting later this month. The central bank cut its benchmark interest rate three times toward the end of 2025 in response to signs of a cooling labor market, aiming to support economic growth.
Lower interest rates can stimulate borrowing and spending, but they also carry the risk of reigniting inflation, which remains above the Fed’s long-term target of 2 percent. Persistent inflation could undermine the benefits of easier monetary policy and place renewed pressure on the economy.
For now, investors largely expect the Fed to keep interest rates unchanged at its January meeting, a stance that has helped steady markets as stocks continue to press toward new highs.
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