S&P 500, Dow Rally To Record Highs, Dollar Snaps 8-Week Streak, Bitcoin Soars Above $97,000: What’s Driving Markets Friday?

Risk-on sentiment gained momentum on Wall Street after the Thanksgiving holiday, fueled by investor optimism over fourth-quarter profit forecasts for U.S. corporations, lifting both the S&P 500 and Dow Jones to fresh record highs.

The S&P 500 broke past the 6,040-point mark on Friday and closed at 6,032, extending its year-to-date gains to an impressive 27%. If the year ended on Friday, the broader U.S. stock market would have surged by a staggering 57% over the last two years, representing the strongest such rally since 1998.

The Dow Jones also hit a record-high milestone, surging above the 45,000 level and bringing its year-to-date gains to 19%.

Technology stocks outperformed, with the Nasdaq 100 rising 1% on the day, buoyed by gains in the Magnificent Seven mega caps and semiconductor stocks.

Small caps stocks posted more modest gains, as the Russell 2000 index edged up 0.4%.

In the currency market, …

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