Investors Brace for Market Reopening After Good Friday Holiday

On April 18, 2025, the US stock market is closed in observance of Good Friday. As a result, there was no trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) or the Nasdaq, and no pre-market, regular, or after-hours trading sessions took place.To provide some context from the previous trading day, on April 17, 2025, the major indexes had a mixed performance. The S&P 500 gained 6.93 points, or 0.13 percent, to close at 5,282.01 points. The Nasdaq Composite lost 24.26 points, or 0.15 percent, to end at 16,282.90. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell significantly, dropping 528.51 points, or 1.33 percent, to 39,140.88.Key factors driving the market direction on the previous day included the impact of UnitedHealth's annual profit forecast and warnings from Fed Chair Jerome Powell about potential inflation driven by the Trump administration's tariffs. Additionally, sector performance was influenced by a 3 percent gain in the energy index, which supported the S&P 500, while shares of companies like Eli Lilly rose sharply due to positive news about their experimental pill.In terms of notable stocks, Netflix shares rose 1.3 percent ahead of their earnings results, and Alphabet's shares dropped 1.5 percent following a federal judge's ruling that Google illegally dominated two markets for online advertising technology.Looking forward, markets will reopen on Monday, April 21, 2025. Investors should watch for several key developments, including earnings season momentum with several large-cap companies in the banking and tech sectors set to release their Q1 results. Economic data releases on inflation, consumer sentiment, and manufacturing activity could also influence expectations around interest rates and Fed policy. Geopolitical risks and any major headlines over the weekend could spark volatility when trading resumes.Pre-market futures and international markets may still react to breaking news or geopolitical developments over the weekend, which investors should monitor for cues ahead of Monday's market opening.This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI