U.S. stocks ended mixed on Friday in another wild trading session as volatility continued to rattle investors amid economic data.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 76.42 points, or 0.33 percent, to 23,062.40. The S&P 500 was down 3.09 points, or 0.12 percent, to 2,485.74. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 5.03 points, or 0.08 percent, to 6,584.52.
Seven of the 11 primary S&P 500 sectors closed lower, as losses in energy and materials outweighed gains in consumer discretionary and real estate.
The market experienced another furious trading day on Friday with all the three major indices flipping between gains and losses frequently throughout the day.
"The theme throughout 2018 has been news-driven market events. As geopolitical events took place, the market reacted to that more in 2018 than in other years," John Monaco, a trader with more than 35 years' experience on the floor, told Xinhua. He added that volatility often happened when traders tried to sell profitable shares before the closing of the year.
On the economic front, the MNI Chicago business barometer, a signpost for the broader U.S. economy, dipped to 65.4 points in December from an 11-month high of 66.4 in the prior month, a survey of business conditions in the Chicago area showed on Friday.
A reading above 50 indicates an improving economy, while a reading below signaled a contraction of the economy.
U.S. equities staged a remarkable late-session comeback in wild trading on Thursday.
The Dow closed 260 points higher Thursday after dropping as many as 611 points, notching its biggest intraday turnaround in 10 years. The S&P 500 posted solid gains after declining more than 2 percent and the Nasdaq also turned positive at the close, erasing a 3 percent earlier loss.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 76.42 points, or 0.33 percent, to 23,062.40. The S&P 500 was down 3.09 points, or 0.12 percent, to 2,485.74. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 5.03 points, or 0.08 percent, to 6,584.52.
Seven of the 11 primary S&P 500 sectors closed lower, as losses in energy and materials outweighed gains in consumer discretionary and real estate.
The market experienced another furious trading day on Friday with all the three major indices flipping between gains and losses frequently throughout the day.
"The theme throughout 2018 has been news-driven market events. As geopolitical events took place, the market reacted to that more in 2018 than in other years," John Monaco, a trader with more than 35 years' experience on the floor, told Xinhua. He added that volatility often happened when traders tried to sell profitable shares before the closing of the year.
On the economic front, the MNI Chicago business barometer, a signpost for the broader U.S. economy, dipped to 65.4 points in December from an 11-month high of 66.4 in the prior month, a survey of business conditions in the Chicago area showed on Friday.
A reading above 50 indicates an improving economy, while a reading below signaled a contraction of the economy.
U.S. equities staged a remarkable late-session comeback in wild trading on Thursday.
The Dow closed 260 points higher Thursday after dropping as many as 611 points, notching its biggest intraday turnaround in 10 years. The S&P 500 posted solid gains after declining more than 2 percent and the Nasdaq also turned positive at the close, erasing a 3 percent earlier loss.
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