Follow all the action in financial markets on Friday as the new year kicks off.

The stock market surged to record highs in 2025, hurtling past tariffs, a government shutdown and fears of a bubble in artificial intelligence.The S&P 500 -- the index that most people's 401(k)s track -- climbed about 17% this year,

Gold futures edge higher after Monday's slide in metals prices

Jumping from one holiday week to the next, bond markets will see an early close at 2 p.m. on Dec. 31. Here's what you need to know about the stock market on New Year's Eve, the last day of 2025. Yes, you can trade stocks on Dec. 31, as both of the United States' main stock exchanges will still be open on that day.

The S & P 500 finished the year up 16%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq climbed 19%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed out 2025 up 13%. A dip in each of the indexes on Wednesday left markets lower in the year’s final trading session.

US stocks fell slightly on Tuesday, as Wall Street tried to regroup after a tech-led slide in the final stretch of 2025.

The S&P 500 ended 2025 at 6,845.5 points. Analysts at Bank of America expect the benchmark index to hit 7,100 by year-end 2026, suggesting a roughly 3.72% gain from now. Meanwhile, analysts at Deutsche Bank expect the S&P to hit 8,000 points by year-end, suggesting a gain of 16.87%.

Forbes asked 34 billionaires in early 2025 how they thought the S&P 500 would fare. Turns out, not even billionaires can see the future.