U.S. stock markets closed higher on Friday. In New York, the Dow finished at 52,637 points, marking a gain of 0.3 percent compared to the previous day. The broader S&P 500 gained 0.4 percent, settling at 7,575 points, while the technology-focused Nasdaq index, tracking the 100 largest companies, rose 0.3 percent to reach 29,825 points.
Despite the general upward trend, Elon Musk’s aerospace company, SpaceX, moved against the positive market sentiment. Its stock price fell to $145 on Friday, bringing it to its lowest valuation since its initial public offering four weeks ago. One factor influencing this movement was recent news from China, where a reusable rocket successfully landed after a flight into space.
Despite the impending earnings season, most investors in the U.S. market remain optimistic and were predominantly in a buying mood on Friday.
In commodity markets, gold saw softer performance. By the evening, the price for a fine ounce was recorded at $4,111, a decline of 0.3 percent, which translates to €115.80 per gram. Meanwhile, oil prices dropped. Friday evening, around 10 p.m. German time, a barrel of Brent crude from the North Sea traded at $76.05, representing a decrease of 25 cents, or 0.3 percent, from the previous trading day’s close.
Currency markets also saw some shifts, with the European currency weakening slightly. On Friday evening, one Euro was valued at $1.1415, meaning that one U.S. Dollar was equivalent to €0.8760.
