Major US Stock Indexes Close Mixed on Final Day of 2024

As the year 2024 came to a close, major US stock indexes closed mixed on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) posting modest gains while the Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQ) slipped. The S&P 500, which tracks a broad range of large-cap stocks, rose 0.2% to close at 5,906.94, while the DJIA, which consists of 30 large, publicly-owned companies, added 0.1% to finish at 42,573.73. The NASDAQ, which is heavily weighted with technology stocks, fell 0.1% to close at 19,486.78.

The mixed performance of the major indexes on the final day of the year reflected a broader market trend that saw stocks close higher for the year, despite a weak December. The S&P 500 gained 23.3% for the year, while the DJIA rose 12.9% and the NASDAQ surged 28.6%. The strong performance of the major indexes was driven by a combination of factors, including cooling inflation, robust consumer spending, and a bullish sentiment on tech companies and their earnings growth.