21. Weekly Market Recap: Key Movements & Insights

💡 Tech Tumbles, Energy Shines: A Volatile Start to 2025

Stocks Struggle Amid Year-End Volatility and Tech Weakness

In a holiday-shortened trading week, markets remained volatile. The S&P 500 dropped 0.9%, reflecting a lackluster end to an otherwise strong year. The index finished 2024 up 23.0%, but the absence of a Santa Claus rally and continued bearish sentiment highlighted investor caution heading into 2025.

The week began with a 1% drop on Monday, extending losses from the previous Friday. Thursday saw another sharp decline before a Friday rally helped recover some of the week's losses. Technology stocks were hit particularly hard, with Apple sliding 5.3% and Tesla tumbling nearly 8%. Energy minerals, industrial services, and communications sectors showed resilience, while consumer durables, technology services, and electronic technology lagged.

Treasury yields rose amid the volatility, with the 10-year yield briefly trading above 4.5%. Oil prices surged 4.7% for the week, buoyed by optimism surrounding China's economic recovery, while US…