U.S. stock futures climbed early Friday as investors awaited the Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) price index data, the Fed’s preferred

The U.S. stock market held near its records after a wobbly day of trading. The S&P 500 edged up 0.1% Thursday and remains just 0.5% below its all-time high.

USA Rare Earth ( USAR +24.68%) stock, one of a handful of start-up companies attempting to jump-start rare-earth oxide mining and rare-earth magnet manufacturing in the United States, soared 19% through 1:20 p.m. ET Thursday.

Those numbers pushed stocks higher because, at this point, any new signs of deterioration in the labor market raises the odds for a rate cut from the Federal Reserve. As of Wednesday, traders assigned an 89 percent likelihood for a 25-basis-point cut on December 10, according to CME data.

The U.S. stock market rose to the edge of its all-time high. The S&P 500 added 0.2% Friday and finished just shy of its record closing level, which was set in October.

US stock market crashes today as the Dow drops 127 points, the S&P 500 slips 29 points, and the Nasdaq sinks 161 points. Tech and crypto stocks drag markets lower. Bitcoins fall hits Bitfarms and Cleanspark.

Crypto had a rough November. The pain is persisting into December — and that could signal trouble ahead for the stock market.

JPMorgan said it favors a barbell portfolio with investments split across AI stocks and cyclical stocks going into 2026.

As of 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time, the S&P 500 fell 0.3%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.4%, and the Nasdaq Composite was 0.4% lower.

Small caps lead the upside and the Nasdaq edges up Thursday following surprise weekly jobless claims. Dollar General and AppLovin break out.