Monday — Dec 1, 2025
S&P 500 close: 6,812.63
VIX: 17.24
Key Drivers:
Market opened with a risk-off tone following a brief post-holiday bounce.
Pressure came from weakness in crypto-linked names and renewed regulatory headlines that hit healthcare and biotech.
Rising Treasury yields earlier in the day created additional hesitation.
Sector Breakdown:
Weak: Health Care, Biotech, speculative Tech (especially crypto-adjacent).
Stronger pockets: Industrials and transportation names that benefited from upgrades.
Notable Movers:
Down: Moderna and other vaccine-exposed names.
Up: Select software/AI supply-chain stocks and some transport/industrial names.
Volatility Insight:
VIX jumped to the highest point of the week.
Intraday ranges widened noticeably, showing elevated short-term uncertainty and increased hedging demand.
Tuesday — Dec 2, 2025
S&P 500 close: 6,829.37
VIX: 16.59
Key Drivers:
Caution continued early but eased as crypto stabilized.
Traders positioned ahead of mid-week economic data and Fed commentary.
Global bond yields, especially in Asia, moderated—reducing near-term macro fear.
Sector Breakdown:
Positive: Technology (partial rebound), Industrials.
Negative: Speculative small-caps, crypto-exposed equities, and healthcare.
Notable Movers:
Up: Several large-cap semiconductor and AI-infrastructure names following partnership or investment updates.
Down: Crypto-exposed brokers and exchanges after volatile digital asset trading.
Volatility Insight:
VIX pulled back but remained above calmer November levels.
Market still priced in event risk, particularly around upcoming data releases.
Wednesday — Dec 3, 2025
S&P 500 close: 6,849.72
VIX: 16.08
Key Drivers:
Softer private payrolls and related economic data lowered bond yields, fueling rate-cut speculation.
Tech and AI-related names surged after upbeat semiconductor and infrastructure commentary.
Investors rotated back into growth as yields fell.
Sector Breakdown:
Leading: Technology (especially semiconductors), Consumer Discretionary (retail with strong holiday activity).
Lagging: Health care and some defensive sectors.
Notable Movers:
Up: Chipmakers and AI-adjacent hardware suppliers; retailers with positive holiday guidance.
Mixed/Down: Some expensive large-cap software names lagged despite the broader rally.
Volatility Insight:
VIX drifted lower as confidence improved.
Intraday ranges narrowed compared with Monday and Tuesday, reflecting an orderly, yield-driven advance.
Thursday — Dec 4, 2025
S&P 500 close: 6,857.12
VIX: 15.78
Key Drivers:
Market hovered near record levels supported by continued Fed-cut expectations.
A rotation into cyclicals gained momentum as investors looked beyond tech for relative value.
News flow was calm and mostly supportive.
Sector Breakdown:
Positive: Industrials, Technology, Communication Services.
Negative: Health care and defensives underperformed.
Notable Movers:
Up: Industrial names and tech suppliers benefiting from analyst upgrades or strong earnings commentary.
Down: Large healthcare and biotech names remained weak.
Volatility Insight:
VIX fell into the high-15s—the lowest of the week.
Market showed reduced demand for short-term hedges and tighter intraday volatility.
Friday — Dec 5, 2025
S&P 500 close: 6,870.40
VIX: 15.41
Key Drivers:
Final session driven by positioning ahead of upcoming inflation data.
Continued optimism for eventual Fed easing kept equities drifting higher.
Light but positive news flow allowed momentum to carry the market into weekly highs.
Sector Breakdown:
Leading: Industrials, Technology (both megacap and mid-cap hardware), Communication Services.
Lagging: Health care remained the weakest group of the week.
Notable Movers:
Up: Machinery, infrastructure-linked industrials, mid-cap tech hardware.
Down: Select consumer staples and healthcare names.
Volatility Insight:
VIX closed the week near 15.4—its calmest reading in several sessions.
Implied volatility remained modestly elevated compared to long-term lows but signaled improving sentiment and reduced short-term downside concern.