Stocks were little changed Wednesday as Wall Street got ready to close out a bumper year for equities.

Stocks are riding a three-session losing streak, although the declines have been mild and the S&P 500 is still set to lock in a 17% gain for the year, its third straight double-digit annual gain. The Nasdaq Composite has ridden AI enthusiasm to a 21% advance. The Dow is up 13% for 2025, hindered a bit by its lack of tech representation in the 30-stock average.

That marks an impressive recovery from the rout seen in early April following President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs announcement. The S&P 500 was even on the cusp of closing in bear market territory at one point, dropping almost 19% from its February high and closing below 5,000 for the first time since April 2024.

Still, the recent declines are somewhat worrisome given that the final five trading days of the year, and the first two of the next, are typically a seasonally rewarding stretch — often referred to as the "Santa Claus" rally — that usually gives stocks one last push toward year-end.

Source : CNBC.com