On Friday, U.S. equity markets opened with strong momentum, notably the Dow Jones Industrial Average which surged by more than 600 points, or approximately 1.29%, reaching 49,537.77. Concurrently, the NASDAQ Composite Index advanced 0.97% to trade at 22,759.56, and the S&P 500 followed suit, increasing by 1.02% to 6,867.68. These movements reflect broad-based gains across much of the market, though sector performances varied in magnitude.
The Information Technology sector demonstrated particularly robust strength, registering a 2.7% gain amid the session. In contrast, the Consumer Discretionary sector experienced a downturn, decreasing by 2.4%, underscoring a divergence in investor sentiment between growth and consumer-oriented stocks.
Within the corporate earnings landscape, Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) reported its fourth-quarter financial results, releasing mixed signals to investors. The e-commerce and cloud computing giant recorded net sales of $213.39 billion for the quarter, representing a 14% increase year-over-year and surpassing Wall Street's consensus estimate of $211.30 billion. However, the company’s earnings per share (EPS) stood at $1.95, marginally missing the consensus forecast of $1.97. This earnings shortfall contributed to a roughly 9% decline in Amazon’s share price on Friday, reflecting investor disappointment despite revenue growth.
Several smaller-cap stocks on the NASDAQ exhibited significant price movements. CCH Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ:CCHH) led the day's gains, with shares increasing 49% to close at $0.57. Tian Ruixiang Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ:TIRX) followed closely, surging 47% to $0.15. Another notable performer, Fly-E Group Inc (NASDAQ:FLYE), appreciated 37%, closing at $5.91.
Conversely, some equities experienced steep declines. Carbon Revolution PLC (NASDAQ:CREV) plummeted 54% to $0.50 after Nasdaq notified the company of a delisting determination. Ernexa Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:ERNA) dropped 49% to $0.34 subsequent to announcing the pricing of a $10.5 million public offering. Founder Group Ltd (NASDAQ:FGL) fell 37% to $0.085, following a 100-for-1 share consolidation.
Commodity markets exhibited mixed trends on Friday. Oil prices declined modestly by 0.3% to $63.08 per barrel. Gold prices showed strength, rising 1.6% to settle at $4,969.10. Silver prices fell 0.8% to $76.075, while copper gained 0.4% to $5.846 per pound.
European equities closed mostly higher. The STOXX 600 index rose 0.6%, bolstered by regional advances such as Spain’s IBEX 35, which gained 1.1%. The United Kingdom’s FTSE 100 climbed 0.4%, Germany’s DAX advanced 0.8%, and France's CAC 40 increased 0.3% during the trading session.
In the Asia-Pacific region, markets closed with mixed outcomes Thursday. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index decreased 0.88%, China's Shanghai Composite shed 0.64%, and India’s BSE Sensex declined 0.60%. However, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index registered a slight increase of 0.14%, reflecting uneven regional investor sentiment.
Economic indicators included the latest data from the U.S. Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index, which rose 2.4% month-over-month in January, following a modest 0.1% increase in the prior month. This suggests ongoing strength in the used vehicle market segment.