Wall Street’s Roller-Coaster Year Ends on AI High Notes

In 2025, Wall Street ended on a high note with AI-focused stocks dominating the market, leading to substantial gains in major indices despite initial low points fueled by tariff uncertainties. The year saw tech sector fluctuations and significant global market diversifications.

Major U.S. stock indices ended a turbulent 2025 with notable gains, driven by investor enthusiasm for artificial intelligence stocks despite earlier market uncertainties due to President Trump's tariffs. The S&P 500, Dow, and Nasdaq all achieved double-digit increases, with AI stocks spearheading this recovery.

The year marked a continuous eight-month upswing for the S&P 500 and the Dow, their longest since 2017-2018, although slight daily setbacks occurred with tech giants like Microsoft and Apple seeing minor losses. Market analyst Giuseppe Sette suggested these variances were within normal bull market fluctuations.

Investors anticipate a broadened market performance in 2026, potentially challenging the dominance of U.S. indexes. Storage chip makers returned impressive gains this year, whereas companies like FMC Corp and Fiserv trailed. The future global market tone could hinge on changes in the Federal Reserve's monetary policy trajectory.

(With inputs from agencies.)