Weekly Market Recap (December 29, 2025 – January 2, 2026)
The year opened with a soft reset. Major indexes slipped amid thin liquidity, while stock-specific catalysts drove dispersion beneath the surface.
Index Performance (Weekly)
| Index | Weekly Change |
|---|---|
| S&P 500 | −0.68% |
| Nasdaq | −1.02% |
| Dow Jones | −0.16% |
AI Picks Performance (Week)
| Stock | Weekly Return | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Applied Materials (AMAT) | +2.21% | Semi-cap resilience despite broader tech pullback. |
| Alphabet (GOOGL) | +0.51% | Steady start to the year amid AI capex arms race. |
| Eli Lilly (LLY) | +0.15% | Defensive healthcare held ground into year-end rotation. |
Sector Snapshot (1-Week)
The Score — Stocks That Defined the Week
- Lululemon (LULU): Founder Chip Wilson launched a proxy fight, nominating three directors as the company searches for a new CEO; shares +1.7% Mon.
- Meta Platforms (META): Agreed to buy AI startup Manus for over $2B, deepening its push against Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI; shares +1.1% Tue.
- Hecla Mining (HL): Silver prices plunged after CME raised margin requirements, triggering a sharp pullback in precious-metals stocks; shares −5% Mon.
- Delta Air Lines (DAL): Severe snowstorms caused widespread flight cancellations and delays during the holiday travel rush; shares −1.9% Mon.
- Nike (NKE): CEO Elliott Hill disclosed a $1M insider purchase following earlier buying by Apple’s Tim Cook; shares +4.1% Wed.
- Tesla (TSLA): Lost its title as the world’s top EV seller to China’s BYD after reporting an 8.6% drop in annual deliveries; shares −2.6% Fri.
Key Takeaway
The first trading week of 2026 began cautiously, with profit-taking in megacap tech and renewed focus on governance, AI investment, and sector-specific fundamentals. Early-year positioning—not macro shocks—drove the tape.
Week ended January 2, 2026. Data based on provided figures.
