Overview of U.S. Market Performance
U.S. stocks closed mostly higher on Friday, although major equity indices fluctuated during the first trading session of 2026 due to low volume following New Year’s holidays.
- Dow Jones Industrial Average: Increased by 0.66% to reach 48,382.39 points.
- S&P 500: Advanced by 0.19% to hit 6,858.47 points; both indices ended a four-session losing streak.
- Nasdaq Composite: Dropped marginally by 0.03% to 23,235.63 points.
Most sectors gained, with energy leading the charge, while discretionary consumer spending was the main contributor to the decline among the three sectors that fell. On a weekly basis, all three indices experienced losses, with the Nasdaq leading the decline at 1.52%, followed by the S&P 500’s 1.03% drop and the Dow Jones’ 0.67% loss.
Mexican Indices Show Declines
The S&P/BMV IPC of the Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV) fell 0.26% to close at 64,141.36 units, while the FTSE BIVA of the Mexican Stock Exchange (BIVA) decreased by 0.04% to end at 1,272.02 points.
- Both indices reached more than half a percentage point gain intraday but consecutively fell for the fourth (IPC) and fifth (FTSE BIVA) times.
- During the week, they lost around 2%, marking their worst performance in the last twelve weeks.
Corporate Developments
In corporate news, Grupo Herdez completed the sale of a 25% stake in McCormick de Mexico to the U.S.-based McCormick & Company after receiving necessary approvals.
Key Questions and Answers
- What was the overall performance of U.S. stocks in the first session of 2026? U.S. stocks closed mostly higher, with the Dow Jones and S&P 500 ending their four-session losing streaks, while the Nasdaq Composite experienced a marginal decline.
- How did major Mexican indices perform in the same period? The S&P/BMV IPC and FTSE BIVA both experienced weekly losses, with the former falling 0.26% and the latter declining by 0.04%. Both indices had intraday gains that were subsequently erased.
- What significant corporate event took place in Mexico? Grupo Herdez finalized the sale of a 25% interest in McCormick de Mexico to McCormick & Company following the acquisition of required authorizations.
