The S&P 500, tracked by the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSE:VOO), notched new all-time highs during the shortened Christmas week. The index is now poised for its third straight year of double-digit gains—and its sixth in the last seven years.
Nvidia Deepens Its AI Moat, Micron Extends Its Blockbuster Rally
Technology stocks once again led Wall Street’s advance. Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:NVDA) surged in its best week since late October, buoyed by a new wave of deals tied to next-generation artificial-intelligence chips.
On Wednesday, AI chip startup Groq unveiled a non-exclusive licensing agreement with Nvidia, reportedly valued at $20 billion for its inference technology, a move analysts say will further reinforce Nvidia’s already dominant competitive moat.
Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) continued to rally, extending gains following a blockbuster quarterly earnings report.
The stock has now posted its fifth consecutive weekly gain — and its tenth in the past eleven weeks. Micron currently ranks as the second-best performer in the S&P 500 this year, with shares up roughly 240% year to date, trailing only Western Digital Corp. (NASDAQ:WDC) among the index’s top gainers of 2025.
Chart: Micron Technology Tops 2025’s Chipmaker Leaderboard, Outpacing Nvdia
Cook Buys The Dip On Nike, GM Eyes Best Year Since New IPO
Nike Inc. (NASDAQ:NKE) also made headlines after Apple CEO Tim Cook disclosed a $3 million purchase of the company’s stock, acquiring 50,000 shares at $58.97 each following the sharp post-earnings selloff. Nike shares reacted positively, rising about 5%.
For Michigan-based automakers, 2025 is shaping up to be a strong year for equity markets. General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM) shares are up 55% year to date, while Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F) has gained 38%. For GM, this marks its best annual performance since returning to public markets in 2010.
Stellantis N.V. (NYSE:STLA), by contrast, has lagged peers and is on track to close the year down roughly 13%.
Chart: General Motors Eyes Best Performing Year Since The Return On Public Markets
Precious Metal Rally Defies Gravity
On the commodities front, precious metals are closing out a truly exceptional year.
Silver’s rally has shown little sign of slowing, with prices breaking above $75 an ounce amid acute supply constraints in Asian markets.
The move has pushed silver’s year-to-date gain above 150%, marking its strongest annual performance since 1979.
Other metals have also posted extraordinary gains. Platinum – which is tracked by the Aberdeen Physical Platinum Shares ETF (NYSE:PPLT) – has surged roughly 170% this year, on track for its best annual performance on record.
Chart: Silver And Platinum Go Wild
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Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.
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