US stock markets climbed on Friday. At the close in New York, the Dow finished at 51,202 points, marking a gain of 0.7 percent compared to the previous trading day. A slightly broader view, the S&P 500, was up 0.5 percent at around 7,431 points, while the technology-focused Nasdaq 100 reached approximately 29,636 points, also up 0.6 percent.
The primary focus of the US markets on Friday was the listing of SpaceX, Elon Musk’s aerospace company. Initially trading at about $150 in over-the-counter markets, it took more than two hours before the stock began official trading. In seconds, the price soared to around $163. This valuation currently places SpaceX among the most valuable US companies, and reports suggest Musk may be the world’s first billionaire.
Meanwhile, the European common currency was slightly weaker late on Friday; one Euro cost $1.1571, meaning the dollar was available for 0.8642 Euros.
The price of gold saw a slight dip, with fine ounces trading at $4,213 in the evening, a decrease of 0.1 percent. This translates to a price of 117.06 Euros per gram. Oil prices, however, dropped significantly: a barrel of Brent crude from the North Sea cost $86.80 around 10 PM German time on Friday. This represents a decrease of 4.0 percent, or 358 cents, compared to the close of the previous day.
