Wall Street Starts the Week and the Final Month of the Year on a Mixed Note

Mega-cap tech stocks and semiconductors led gains, driving the Nasdaq 100 to retest its all-time high of 21,180 points.

Wall Street kicked off the week and the final month of the year with a mixed performance, as a tech-driven rally countered broader market weakness.

Mega-cap tech stocks and semiconductors led gains, pushing the Nasdaq 100 to retest its all-time high of 21,180 points, last reached on November 11, 2024.

Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) shares rose 1% on Monday, extending their rally to fresh all-time highs as investors expressed optimism over strong holiday-season sales for the Cupertino, California-based tech behemoth.

On the other hand, the broader market showed weakness, with all sectors declining on Monday except for technology, communication services, and consumer discretionary, highlighting an uneven market performance.

The ISM Manufacturing PMI came in below expectations but remained in contraction territory for the eighth consecutive month, indicating a persistent challenging industrial sentiment.

The U.S. dollar index gained 0.8%, driven by a weakening euro amid increasing fiscal and political risks in France.

Meanwhile, gold prices slipped 0.6% to close the day at $2,635 per ounce, and crude oil prices held steady near $68 per barrel.

In the crypto space, Bitcoin BTC/USD fell 2.1% to trade around $95,000, pulling back from recent highs as traders locked in profits.

Here's how the major U.S. indices performed on Monday, according to Benzinga Pro:

Nasdaq Composite gained 148.2 points, or 0.6%, to close at 24,000.9.

S&P 500 slipped 6.3 points, or 0.2%, to finish at 4,634.0.

Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 121.4 points, or 0.3%, to end at 35,840.3.

Among Monday's stock movers, Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) shares rose 1% to close at $220.04. The stock reached an all-time high during the session.

PayPal Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:PYPL) shares gained 2.1% to close at $340.23. The stock hit a 52-week high during the session.

Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) shares fell 0.4% to close at $498.18. The stock hit a 52-week low during the session.

AT&T Inc (NYSE:T) shares rose 1.3% to close at $36.88. The stock hit a 52-week high during the session.

Boeing Co (NYSE:BA) shares gained 1.1% to close at $330.91. The stock hit a 52-week high during the session.

The ProShares UltraPro QQQ (NASDAQ:TQQQ) gained 1.8% to close at $184.95.

The Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X Shares (NYSE:SOXL) rose 2.3% to close at $106.05.

The iShares Gold Trust (NYSE:IAU) closed down 0.6% at $381.95.

The SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF (NYSE:XOP) gained 1.1% to close at $126.87.

The cryptocurrency fell 2.1% to trade around $94,994.93.