Noon Market Summary: Nasdaq Up 0.86% as Trump Averts Trade War, Consumer Spending Rises 0.5%

The U.S. market closed mixed at noon, with major indexes rising amid relief over President Trump’s reversal on Greenland-related tariffs and resilient consumer spending. The Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) led the charge, climbing 0.86% to 23,423.57, while the Dow Jones Industrial (DJI) gained 0.82% to 49,478.95 and the S&P 500 (SPX) rose 0.59% to 6,916.38. Commodities saw divergent moves: WTI crude oil futures fell 1.45% to $59.74, while silver surged 3.16% to $95.57. Sector performance was mixed, with Materials (+1.35%) and Consumer Discretionary (+1.19%) leading gains, while Energy (-0.32%) and Utilities (-0.24%) lagged. The market sentiment leaned cautiously optimistic, driven by geopolitical de-escalation and strong retail data.

Hot Stocks

Tech Giants:

• Meta (META): +3.85%
• Tesla (TSLA): +1.52%
• Amazon (AMZN): +1.34%
• Nvidia (NVDA): +0.99%
• Apple (AAPL): +0.66%

Mining & Materials:

• Coeur Mining (CDE): +10.76%
• Hecla Mining (HL): +7.39%
• Pan American Silver (PAAS): +6.34%

Biotech & Healthcare:

• Moderna (MRNA): +9.76%
• Dexcom (DXCM): +5.10%
• XTL Biopharma (XTLB): +11.04%

Miscellaneous:

• Arista Networks (ANET): +10.86%
• Northern Trust (NTRS): +5.94%
• Arm Holdings (ARM): +5.52%

Macro & Corporate News

1. Trump’s Greenland Framework Averts Trade War

President Trump’s agreement with NATO on Greenland-related security cooperation led to an immediate cancellation of threatened 10% tariffs on European allies. This de-escalation triggered a global market rally, with European indices like the CAC 40 and DAX surging over 1%. Safe-haven assets like gold fell as investors shifted to risk-on positions.

2. Consumer Spending Rises 0.5% Despite Inflation

New data showed consumer spending rose 0.5% in November 2025, exceeding expectations. The PCE price index, the Fed’s key inflation metric, rose 0.2% monthly, bringing the annual rate to 2.8%. While above the Fed’s 2% target, the report indicated stabilization after peaking in 2022, offering some relief to markets.

3. Vanguard Cuts UK Exposure by £1.9bn

Vanguard announced a reduction in UK equity and bond holdings in its LifeStrategy funds, cutting exposure from 25% to 20% for equities. The move reflects shifting investor preferences toward international diversification, despite UK stocks outperforming U.S. markets in 2025.

4. Dogecoin ETF Launches on Nasdaq

The first SEC-approved spot Dogecoin ETF (TDOG), backed by the Dogecoin Foundation, launched on Nasdaq. This marks a significant milestone for meme-based cryptocurrencies, signaling growing institutional interest in the asset class.

5. Procter & Gamble Earnings Highlight Tariff Pressures

Procter & Gamble’s Q4 sales rose 1% to $22.2 billion, but tariffs reduced margins by 60 basis points. The company faces challenges in maintaining pricing power for essentials like baby care amid geopolitical trade policies.

6. EU-Mercosur Trade Deal to Take Effect Provisionally

The EU’s landmark free trade agreement with Mercosur (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay) is expected to be provisionally applied by March 2026. The deal aims to boost European growth and counter U.S. tariffs but faces criticism over potential flooding of agricultural imports.