Dow Jones ends up, posts longest monthly win streak since 2018

US stocks ended in the green in a shortened session on Friday, amid investor optimism about the Fed’s rate cuts.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.61%, or 289 points, to 47,716 points, posting a weekly gain of 3.18% and rising 0.32% in November.

The index has now logged seven consecutive monthly gains, its longest streak since 2018.

The broader S&P 500 advanced 0.54%, or 36 points, to 6,849, ending the week up 3.72% and the month up 0.13%.

The Nasdaq Composite added 0.65%, or 150 points, to 23,365, gaining 4.91% for the week but falling 1.50% over November.

Across the Atlantic, the Stoxx Europe 600 edged up 0.25% to 576.43, finishing the week 2.55% higher and rising 0.79% in November — its fifth straight monthly gain.

Germany’s DAX climbed 0.29% to 23,836, France’s CAC 40 rose 0.29% to 8,122, and the UK’s FTSE 100 added 0.27% to 9,720.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 gained 0.15% to 50,253, while the broader Topix rose 0.30% to 3,378. Both indices posted weekly gains of 3.35% and 2.45%, respectively.

January Brent futures — which expired today — fell 0.22%, or 14 cents, to $63.20 a barrel, ending the week down 1% and posting a 2.9% monthly loss.

Nymex crude for January delivery crude slipped 0.17%, or 10 cents, to $58.55 a barrel, deepening its weekly and monthly declines to 0.84% and 4%, respectively.

As for gold, February futures rose 1.25%, or $52.6, to $4,254.90 an ounce, logging weekly and monthly gains of 3.37% and 5.60%, respectively.