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Wall Street Holds Steady as S&P 500 Hits Record Ahead of Christmas Break

Market Snapshot – December 24, 2025 Dow Jones Futures: Flat at 48,735 points S&P 500 Futures: Near 6,957 points, little changed after Tuesday’s record close Nasdaq 100 Futures: Slight dip of 0.1% to 25,796.5 points S&P 500 Index: Closed Tuesday at 6,909, its latest all-time high Key Drivers Robust economic growth continues to fuel investor optimism. Seasonal “Santa Claus rally” has lifted stocks for four consecutive sessions. Markets will close early today at 1 p.m. EST and remain shut tomorrow for Christmas Day. Traders remain cautious about inflation and potential Federal Reserve rate cuts in 2026. Quick Take Wall Street enters the holiday season on a high note, with the S&P 500 near the 7,000 mark and futures showing little movement. The shortened trading session means liquidity will be thin, amplifying small moves. Still, the overall tone remains upbeat, with investors betting that the year-end rally will carry into the final days of 2025.

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Israel Insists on Right to Act Against Hezbollah in Any Deal to End Fighting

Amid ongoing conflict, Israel's Defense Minister has firmly stated that the country insists on retaining the right to act militarily against Hezbollah in any agreement to end the fighting in Lebanon. This stance is likely to be contested by Lebanon, potentially complicating peace efforts.

The conflict, which erupted into full-scale war in September 2023, has resulted in significant casualties and displacement on both sides. Lebanese officials have called for a return to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between the sides and called for Hezbollah militants and Israeli forces to withdraw from a buffer zone in southern Lebanon.

U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein, who has been working to broker a ceasefire, held a second round of talks with Lebanon's parliament speaker, Nabih Berri, an ally of Hezbollah. Hochstein mentioned that the talks had made "additional progress," and he plans to visit Israel to try to bring the conflict to a close.

The situation remains tense, with both sides showing little inclination to compromise, and the international community closely watching the developments.

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