Record-Breaking Highs in U.S. Stock Markets Following Jobs Report
U.S. stock markets reached unprecedented highs on Friday, marking a robust start to trading in 2026. This surge came as investors processed the December employment data, which reinforced the likelihood of the Federal Reserve maintaining steady interest rates later this month.
The S&P 500 saw a gain of 0.6%, closing at an all-time high. Similarly, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 0.5%, also achieving a record close. The Nasdaq Composite made a significant leap of 0.8%. Remarkably, all three major indexes concluded the first full trading week of 2026 with gains exceeding 1%.
The December jobs report revealed an addition of 50,000 positions in the U.S., falling slightly short of the anticipated 70,000. However, the unemployment rate showed improvement, dropping to 4.4% from 4.5%. In light of this data, traders now predict a 97% probability that the Fed will maintain steady rates at its January 27-28 meeting, a notable increase from Thursday’s 88% prediction, as reported by CME Group’s FedWatch tool.
On the individual movers front, nuclear energy companies Vistra and Oklo saw a significant rise of 10% and 8% respectively, following their power supply agreement announcements with Meta. Meanwhile, Johnson & Johnson shares remained unchanged after finalizing a deal with the Trump administration. This agreement, which involves lowering drug prices in exchange for tariff relief, is facilitated through participation in the TrumpRx.gov discount platform.
Source: Yahoo Finance