Skip to main content

Featured

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.

article

Hostages Set for Release Amid Gaza Ceasefire

 

Palestinian militant groups in Gaza have announced the release of three hostages on Saturday, in accordance with the terms of the ceasefire agreement with Israel. The hostages named for release are Iair Horn, U.S.-Israeli Sagui Dekel-Chen, and Russian-Israeli Alexandre Sasha Troufanov.

The announcement follows intense mediation efforts by Egyptian and Qatari officials to maintain the ceasefire, which has been under threat due to accusations of violations from both sides. The ceasefire, which began on January 19, 2025, was intended to facilitate the exchange of hostages and prisoners, as well as the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

Hamas had previously threatened to halt the release of hostages, accusing Israel of blocking aid deliveries into Gaza. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump warned that the ceasefire would be canceled if the hostages were not released.

The release of the three hostages is part of a larger agreement that includes the exchange of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees. The ceasefire aims to pave the way for further negotiations to secure the release of remaining hostages and to rebuild Gaza after 15 months of devastating conflict.

The situation remains tense, with both sides accusing each other of breaching the agreement. However, the release of these hostages is seen as a positive step towards maintaining the fragile ceasefire and moving towards a more stable and peaceful resolution.


Comments