The valuations of some artificial intelligence companies are approaching those of the dot-com boom. But investors worry that pulling money from today’s market risks future gains.

Wall Street closed sharply higher on Wednesday in a broad-based rally. Investor mood was upbeat after the Fed announced a quarter-point rate cut, with investors eyeing future easing despite signals of a temporary pause.

The buzziest private companies are being sold to a select few as the universe of stocks everyone else can invest in shrinks rapidly.

A.M. Eastern Time, the S&P 500 fell 1.3%, the Nasdaq Composite shed 1.9%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.6%.

Oracle's earnings showed mixed results, leading to an 11% drop. Broadcom's strong earnings overshadowed by warnings of margin pressures.

The U.S. stock market rose to the edge of its all-time high. The S&P 500 added 0.2% Friday and finished just shy of its record closing level, which was set in October.

The U.S. stock market is having a terrific year. The benchmark S&P 500 ( ^GSPC +0.67%) is up 16% in 2025 despite economic uncertainty created by President Trump's tariffs. But there could be trouble on the horizon.

Here's what you need to know about whether U.S. stock markets will be open or closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day this year.

As 2026 approaches, quantum computing is shifting from lab-stage research to early commercial traction. This shift has kept the spotlight on three