Market Ends Shortened Session on a Positive Note as Weekly Gains Build

The stock market drifted modestly higher during Friday’s abbreviated session, closing out a strong week in which equities regained significant ground and sentiment improved meaningfully. The DJIA rose 0.6%, finishing the final trading day of November back in positive territory for the month, while the S&P 500 added 0.5% and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.7%.

Participation was broad, with ten S&P 500 sectors finishing higher on the day and all eleven sectors logging week-to-date gains—an unusually unanimous sign of market-wide momentum. Much of that strength continued to stem from elevated expectations for a December rate cut, which have revitalized buying interest across cyclical and growth-oriented pockets of the market.

Energy led Friday’s advance, climbing 1.5% as crude oil prices gained 1.4% to settle at $59.46 per barrel. Consumer discretionary stocks also contributed meaningfully, bolstered by solid performances in Amazon and Tesla, helping the sector lock in a 5.3% weekly gain.

Financials added 0.7% as major banks rallied, including JPMorgan Chase, while Coinbase posted another strong move alongside a rebound in Bitcoin. Intel stood out as the top performer in the entire S&P 500, surging more than 10% after reports suggested Apple may source future low-end M-series chips from the company starting in 2027—an early signal of potential diversification beyond TSMC for certain product lines.

Tech stocks delivered more muted results, with the information technology sector edging up 0.5% as NVIDIA and Oracle weighed on the group. Health care was the only sector to finish lower, slipping 0.5% on profit-taking after a strong month that still leaves it up 9% for November. Eli Lilly was the day’s weakest performer in the S&P 500.

Despite the quiet tone of the holiday-shortened session, the week ended on a constructive footing. All three major averages now sit comfortably above their 50-day moving averages, entering December with firming sentiment, improving breadth, and a supportive backdrop from rising expectations of near-term Fed easing.

Our FTInvest 11 model portfolio extended its record-setting run today, adding another 0.37% and closing at a fresh all-time high of 908.82. The portfolio spent the entire session in positive territory, showing steady demand even as the broader market moved without strong conviction following the Thanksgiving break.

Today’s advance may have been modest compared with recent surges, but it reinforced the portfolio’s impressive momentum at month-end. Buying interest remained well distributed across components, allowing FTInvest 11 to grind higher and secure yet another record close. With this move, the index continues to outpace major benchmarks and solidify its position as one of the week’s standout performers.

The strong finish sets the stage for December with FTInvest 11 holding firm leadership, supported by resilient sentiment and continued appetite for its key names.