U.S. stock markets fell sharply on Friday. At the close in New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was at 48,978 points, a drop of 1.1 % compared with the previous trading day. A few minutes earlier the broader S&P 500 stood near 6,879 points, down 0.4 %, while the technology‑focused Nasdaq 100 was about 24,960 points, slipping 0.3 %.
Netflix shares surged, spurred by the streaming giant’s withdrawal from its battle with Paramount, Skydance, and Warner Bros. Discovery. The failed merger has entitled Netflix to a multi‑billion‑dollar settlement. In contrast, Paramount plans to acquire the entire Warner Bros. Discovery enterprise-which includes the CNN news network-not just its film and streaming assets. The resulting concentration in the U.S. media market has attracted criticism, as the corporation’s leadership is alleged to be close to former President Donald Trump.
Currency movements in the evening showed a modest euro gain: one euro was worth $1.1816, meaning one dollar traded at €0.8463.
Gold rose, trading at $5,259 for a troy ounce-up 1.5 %-which equals €143.10 per gram.
Oil also climbed sharply; at about 10 p.m. German time on Friday, a barrel of North Sea Brent fetched $73.00, 3.1 % higher than the prior day’s close.
