Dow Jones S&P 500 Nasdaq extend losses: US stock market slips again today: Why Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq are down for a second straight day as gold and silver prices surge
Wall Street is currently focused on the Federal Reserve’s December meeting minutes, which are scheduled to be released at 2 p.m. This document is expected to reveal deep divisions within the FOMC, which recently approved its third consecutive rate cut. With a vote of 9 to 3 – the highest number of dissenters in six years – the minutes will provide a critical road map for 2026. While markets expect the Fed to pause by April, internal debate about a cooling labor market versus persistent inflation will determine the pace of borrowing costs next year.
The “picking and shoveling” phase of the AI boom, dominated by semiconductor giants, is beginning to develop. Shares of Nvidia (NVDA) are up 39% this year, while Palantir (PLTR) and AMD are up 143% and 78%, respectively. Although these tech leaders faced a minor setback on Tuesday, analysts at US Bank Asset Management suggest the next wave of gains will come from companies that have successfully applied artificial intelligence to boost corporate earnings. As infrastructure deployments mature, the focus is shifting towards software and enterprise applications that can deliver tangible increases in productivity in 2026.
The pharmaceutical industry produced some of the year’s biggest winners; Eli Lilly (LLY) reached a historic $1 trillion market cap. Lilly’s 40% gain in 2025 was driven by the success of Zepbound, and the company currently expects the launch of its highly anticipated weight loss pill orforglipron in the second quarter of 2026. Meanwhile, Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) achieved these gains not with weight-loss drugs but with a robust transformation in medical technology. J&J is preparing to submit its Ottawa surgical robot for FDA approval in early 2026, aiming to disrupt the robotic surgery market currently dominated by Intuitive Surgical.
With large-cap tech and pharma leading the charge, a rotation may be on the horizon. Merck (MRK) is emerging as a top pick for 2026, with BMO Capital Markets upgrading the stock to “outperform” due to a strengthening pipeline ahead of the 2028 Keytruda patent cliff.
Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq extended losses today:
Dow Index closed at 48,378.13 points, decreasing by 83.80 points, or 0.17%. The S&P 500 index decreased by 3.63 points, or 0.05%, to 6,902.11 points. NASDAQ ended down 13.73 points, or 0.06%, at 23,460.62.
Today’s Top Stock Gainers
The session is dominated by a major breakout in the bionics and robotics sector.
- Ekso Bionics (EKSO): +102.08% The prominent artist of the day is on the rise $11.03. Its stock more than doubled in value following news that Applied Digital plans to grow its cloud business and investors believe it could create significant value for its subsidiaries, including Ekso.
- Cemtrex, Inc. (CETX): +22.99% Trade $2.60Cemtrex rose after reporting a return to operating profitability for fiscal 2025. The company generated $76.5 million in revenue, an increase of 14% compared to the previous year.
- Society Pass, Inc. (SOPA): +9.69% stock rose $3.21 It’s amid a broader rally in small-cap tech and fintech names as investors look for undervalued plays heading into 2026.
- Ondaş Holdings (ONDS): +8.16% To win $9.15Ondas continues to benefit from growing momentum in the industrial drone and private wireless networking sectors.
Biggest Losers
While many smaller caps are rising, some high-flying tech names are taking year-end profits.
- NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA): -0.16% Nvidia dropped a bit $187.92. It remains one of the top performers of 2025 despite the small daily loss, but it faces pressure today due to the overall cooling of the tech sector.
- Sidus Space (SIDU): +5.06% (Retreat from High) While technically “fine” during the day $2.70Sidus Space has seen high volatility. It recently closed its $16.2 million IPO at $1.50 per share, sparking concerns of major depreciation despite an intraday rise.
- D-Wave Quantum (QBTS): +2.69% (Moderate Gain) Trade $26.85Although D-Wave remains in positive territory, it is underperforming compared to the triple-digit swings seen in the bionics sector.
Silver prices rose sharply in early U.S. trading. dot silver jump $77.3285 per ounceabove $5.1885or 7.19%per day. The strong move reflects increased safe-haven demand and increased speculative interest as investors reassess risk in equity markets and look at changing monetary policy expectations.
Gold prices also rose, albeit at a more steady pace. spot gold climbed $4,366.76 per ounceis winning $34.78or 0.80%. This progress underscores investors’ continued demand for stability amid stock market volatility, weakening growth prospects and uncertainty surrounding the Federal Reserve’s next policy steps.
