US stocks ended Thursday’s session positively, driven by gains in consumer services, healthcare, and financial sectors.
The Dow closed 0.53% higher at $35,273.03, hitting a fresh three-month high, and the S&P 500 rose by 0.41% to $4,556.62. The Nasdaq Composite index also climbed by 0.46% to $14,256.86.
The Dow Jones’ best performers were 3M Co., climbing 1.47% to $95.37. Microsoft Corp. gained 1.28% to $377.85, while Home Depot Inc. added 1.27% to $309.21 in after-market trade.
On the other hand, the worst performers of the session were Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc., which declined by 1.38% to $20.69. Caterpillar Inc. dipped by 1.38% to $245.98, and Walmart Inc. eased by 0.76% to $154.68.
On the S&P 500, top performers were eBay Inc., increasing by 3.09% to $41.64, and Advance Micro Devices (AMD) Inc., up by 2.81 to $122.51. HP Inc. also soared by 2.80% to close at $28.65.
The index’s underperformers for the session were Autodesk Inc., which was down by 6.90%, while Deere & Company decreased by 3.11% to $370.74. Tesla Inc. eased by 2.90% to $234.21 at the close.
Impel Neuropharma Inc. led the Nasdaq Composite’s gains with a 143.44% surge to $0.78. AgileThought Inc. traded 137.35% higher at $0.20, and Presidio Property Trust gained 53.43% to close at $0.94.
Alpha Technology Group Ltd. had the weakest performance, falling by 32.65% to $13.80. Entrada TherapeutiInc Inc. stumbled 31.85% to $11.36, and Hongli Group Inc. slipped by 30.19% to $3.70.
US Stock Trading During Thanksgiving and Black Friday
The Thanksgiving holiday for US markets on Thursday is seen as a favorable event for investors, considering the November stock-market rally.
Many non-retail workers are expected to extend the public holiday to a four-day weekend, excluding Black Friday, although markets may have partial trading on the day after Thanksgiving.
US stock exchanges, particularly the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq, will close trading at 1 pm Eastern on Friday in a shortened session.
Bond traders will also conclude early, as trade group Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) proposes a 2 pm closure for fixed-income markets.
November brought a robust rally in US stocks, with the S&P 500 leaving correction territory, finishing only under 1% from its July 31 closing high.
The S&P 500 index has surged over 8% month-to-date by Tuesday’s close, with the Dow up over 6% and the Nasdaq Composite rising over 10%.
