Wall Street wraps up 2025 with a slight dip

Business Dec 29, 2025

On Friday, Wall Street ended just a bit lower—Dow slipped by 20 points, S&P 500 was down by 2 points, and Nasdaq dropped by 0.1%.

Why does this matter?

Even with today's dip, the S&P 500 is still up over 17% for the year.
But trading was quieter than usual and consumer confidence slid nearly 19% this year—both signs that people are feeling cautious as we head into 2026.

What's behind the moves?

Most sectors lost ground today, especially Consumer Discretionary stocks. Materials were one of the few bright spots.
The market's "fear gage," the VIX index, ticked up too—showing folks are a bit on edge as we close out the year.