U.S. markets end week on ,ixed note, techs rebound

NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stock markets were mixed in late afternoon trading on Friday, with gains in major technology names helping the Nasdaq rise, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped and the S&P 500 held modestly higher. The Standard and Poor's 500 edged up 24.66 points, or 0.37 percent, to last trade at 6,762.15. The benchmark index traded between 6,646.87 and 6,774.31 during the session as investors weighed corporate earnings updates and fresh economic data. The Dow Jones Industrial Average moved lower, falling 169.77 points, or 0.36 percent, to 47,287.45. The blue-chip index fluctuated within a range of 46,863.05 to 47,380.07, pressured by declines in industrial and financial stocks. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite outperformed, climbing 135.12 points, a gain of 0.59 percent, to reach 23,005.48, with less than an hour left to trade, supported by strength in semiconductor and software shares as traders rotated back into high-growth sectors. Investors continued to assess the outlook for interest rates and inflation while positioning ahead of key data releases scheduled for next week. Despite the mixed performance, overall market sentiment remained steady heading into the final hour of the trading week. U.S. Dollar To Ends Week Mixed as Major Currencies Drift in Cautious Friday Trade, Commodity Currncies Edge Up The U.S. dollar traded in Friday's session with a mixed performance against major global currencies, as traders weighed fresh economic data and awaited clearer signals on the outlook for interest rates heading into year-end. The euro weakened modestly, with the EUR/USD pair slipping to 1.1617, a decline of 0.13 percent in late afternoon trading, as softer regional indicators dampened sentiment across the eurozone. Against the Japanese currency, the U.S. dollar edged slightly higher, with USD/JPY rising 0.02 percent to 154.53, reflecting continued yen softness amid Japan's persistently accommodative monetary stance. The greenback also fell slightly against the Canadian dollar, with USD/CAD easing 0.05 percent to 1.4027, supported by stable crude oil prices and firmer Canadian economic figures. Sterling weakened, with the British pound slipping to 1.3162 against the dollar, a drop of 0.22 percent, as UK markets reacted to ongoing concerns about domestic growth momentum. The dollar strengthened against the Swiss franc, with USD/CHF climbing 0.17 percent to 0.7939, continuing a week of incremental gains against the traditional safe-haven currency. Commodity-linked currencies were mostly stronger. The Australian dollar rose, with AUD/USD gaining 0.15 percent to 0.6537, lifted by improving risk sentiment in Asia-Pacific markets. The New Zealand dollar posted the strongest advance of the day, with NZD/USD up 0.47 percent to 0.5679, buoyed by upbeat trade data and broader demand for higher-yielding assets. Overall, currency markets moved cautiously on Friday as investors positioned themselves for a busy stretch of upcoming central bank commentary and economic releases that could influence global rate expectations. Global Markets Slide on Friday as Asia-Pacific Suffers Sharp Losses Global stock markets closed broadly lower on Friday, with major European and Asia-Pacific indices retreating amid renewed concerns over economic momentum and geopolitical uncertainty. Losses were widespread across regions, though India's Sensex managed a modest gain. UK and Europe Declines Across the Board London's FTSE 100 fell sharply, closing at 9,698.37, down 109.31 points, a drop of 1.11 percent. The benchmark traded between 9,610.45 and 9,807.72 during the day. Germany's DAX also finished lower, slipping 165.07 points, or 0.69 percent, to end at 23,876.55. France's CAC 40 dropped 62.40 points, down 0.76 percent, to close at 8,170.09, while the EURO STOXX 50 shed 49.02 points, a fall of 0.85 percent, settling at 5,693.77. The Euronext 100 lost 16.14 points to finish at 1,721.06, a decline of 0.93 percent. In Belgium, the BEL 20 slipped 11.78 points, or 0.23 percent, ending the session at 5,034.52. Canadian markets move higher In Canada, the S&P/TSX Composite Index advanced 64.88 points, or 0.21 percent, to 30,318.52, helped by modest gains in energy and materials stocks. Asia-Pacific Markets Record Steeper Losses Asian markets saw more pronounced declines. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index tumbled 500.57 points, down 1.85 percent, closing at 26,572.46. Singapore's STI Index also weakened, dropping 29.84 points, or 0.65 percent, to 4,546.07. Australia suffered one of the region's sharpest pullbacks, with the S&P/ASX 200 falling 118.90 points, a decline of 1.36 percent, to 8,634.50. The broader All Ordinaries index slid 127.50 points, or 1.41 percent, to finish at 8,907.00. South Korea's KOSPI recorded the biggest percentage drop of the day, sinking 159.06 points, or 3.81 percent, to close at 4,011.57. Taiwan's TAIEX also saw heavy selling pressure, falling 506.06 points, or 1.81 percent, to 27,397.50. China's SSE Composite Index eased 39.01 points, down 0.97 percent, finishing at 3,990.49. Japan's Nikkei 225 also closed deeply lower, retreating 905.30 points, or 1.77 percent, to 50,376.53. New Zealand's S&P/NZX 50 declined 133.41 points, or 0.98 percent, to end at 13,464.46. Malaysia's FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI fell 6.60 points, down 0.40 percent, to 1,625.67, while Indonesia's IDX Composite edged down 1.56 points, a slight 0.02 percent drop, closing at 8,370.44. South Africa's Top 40 USD Net TRI Index fell 164.37 points, a decline of 2.44 percent, standing at 6,574.15. India Bucks the Trend India's S&P BSE Sensex was the lone major index to advance, inching up 84.11 points, or 0.10 percent, to finish the session at 84,562.78 after trading as high as 84,697.87. Global Sentiment Remains Fragile The broad declines across Europe and Asia reflect persistent investor caution heading into the final weeks of the year, as markets remain sensitive to global economic data, policy signals, and geopolitical developments. Related stories: Thursday 13 November 2025 | Wall Street, global markets, suffer huge losses | Big News Network.com Wednesday 12 November 2025 | Wall Street struggles for direction as tech slide continues | Big News Network.com Tuesday 11 November 2025 | Dow Jones Soars Hundreds of Points as Tech Stocks Stumble | Big News Network.com Monday 10 November 2025 | Wall Street surges as Senate signals end to shutdown | Big News Network.com Photo credit: Big News Network news agency