[Click eStock] "US Major Indexes Fall on Year-End Profit-Taking... Nvidia Up, Boeing Down"

According to Mirae Asset Securities' 'AI Daily Global Market Briefing' on the 31st, the US stock market declined as year-end profit-taking sales poured in. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 0.97% at 42,573.73, and the Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 index also fell 1.07% to 5,906.94. The Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 1.19%, closing at 19,486.78. The Russell 2000 index, which is focused on small-cap stocks, also declined by 0.46%.

Among key economic indicators, the Chicago Business Barometer fell to 36.9, indicating a slowdown in economic activity. On the other hand, major US home sales contracts rose 2.2% month-over-month, showing increased housing demand driven by consumer expectations of interest rates. Nvidia completed the acquisition of Israeli startup Run:AI to strengthen its AI sector, which positively influenced its stock price. However, the Federal Reserve's potential pause in interest rate cuts is expected to cause market volatility. Attention is focused on how major economic forecasts and stock market responses will unfold early next year. Nvidia announced the completion of the $700 million acquisition of Run:AI, which was seen as a strategic move to expand its position in the AI market.

Meanwhile, Boeing (-2.3%) saw its stock price decline following the Korean government's additional inspection demands after the Jeju Air 737-800 passenger plane accident. This led to a market value loss of approximately ?6 billion for Boeing shares. Tesla (-3.3%) continued its downward trend amid uncertainties about autonomous vehicle development and concerns over slow cooperation with China. News of Elon Musk exploring trading possibilities in South Africa did not have a positive impact. MicroStrategy's stock price fell despite additional Bitcoin purchases, due to concerns over its heavy reliance on Bitcoin investments. Analysis suggesting a reduction in Bitcoin purchase scale also negatively affected the stock. Apple (-1.3%) experienced a stock decline despite announcing a free streaming weekend event for 'Apple TV+', as investors worried about a lack of software development. This was evaluated as indicating the need for a comprehensive strategy to maintain corporate value.

The US 10-year Treasury yield showed weakness at 4.55, maintaining its recent downward trend. This reflects investors' cautious stance as the market watches the Fed's policy outlook for next year. The dollar index remained strong at 108.2, a phenomenon driven by robust US economic growth and inflation pressures causing policy divergences among major central banks. The euro-dollar exchange rate slightly declined to 1.04, reflecting the dollar's strength.

WTI crude oil prices rose 0.7% during the day to $71.11, indicating strength across the energy sector. Overall, oil and natural gas prices sent positive signals to the market, with natural gas rising 67.5% year-to-date. While volatility in the bond and foreign exchange markets is expected to continue, energy commodities are forecasted to maintain their strength.