Dow Snaps Losing Streak with Triple-Digit Turnaround

Stocks finished the first trading session of 2026 mixed after a choppy performance. The Dow reversed its losses to close 319 points higher, snapping a four-day losing streak alongside the S&P 500, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq inched into the red for its fifth-straight loss. Chip stocks were notable winners today, while Tesla (TSLA) stock slid after disappointing fourth-quarter delivery numbers. Though Wednesday brought strong quarterly and yearly gains, all three major indexes finished lower for the week. 

Continue reading for more on today's market, including:

• Sneak peek: 3 stocks from Schaeffer's top picks of 2026. 
• Advantages of trading options for investors.
• Plus, next week's earnings schedule; other EV delivery numbers to unpack; and Baidu's big change.

Oil Extends 2025 Losses

Still reeling from Wednesday's markedly disappointing losses for 2025, oil settled lower for the session. January-dated West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude shed 10 cents to close at $57.32 per barrel on the day, but rose 0.6% for the week.

Piggybacking off last year's impressive win, safe havens continued their tear up the charts for most of the day. However, February-dated gold settled modestly lower for the session, off 0.3%, to close around $4,329.60 per ounce. For the week, gold lost 3.7%.