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from24/7 Wall St.
2 days agoLive Nasdaq Composite: Markets Close Curtain on Positive Year
Major U.S. stock indexes finished 2025 slightly lower on the final trading day but recorded strong full-year gains led by the Nasdaq.
With government data releases halted by the shutdown, markets turned to private indicators for clues about the economy's health. Payroll provider ADP reported a surprising 32,000 job losses in September-far below expectations for job gains-fuelling expectations for Fed rate cuts. However, several Fed officials maintained a cautious tone. Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee warned of persistent services inflation, while Dallas Fed's Lorie Logan suggested a slower path to policy normalization.