NEW YORK – Stocks in the United States were at a standstill on Friday as trading activity slowed following the Thanksgiving holiday. By midday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average experienced a slight increase, while the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq composite moved in opposite directions, with the S&P dropping and the Nasdaq lagging behind.

Investors are closely watching the performance of retailers as Black Friday marks the official start of the holiday shopping season. Major retailers like Target and Walmart have already indicated that consumers are being cautious with their spending, prompting retailers to start their holiday promotions earlier and offer them for longer periods.

Meanwhile, discord within OPEC+ kept crude prices in check, with Brent crude futures trading above $82 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate crude futures just below $77 a barrel after the Thanksgiving hiatus. Additionally, Nvidia’s stock dropped more than 1% after the company delayed the launch of an AI chip in China due to US export curbs, as reported by Reuters.

On a positive note, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin rallied more than 2.5% to trade above $38,000 a coin, reaching its highest level since May 2022. Shares in crypto broker Coinbase also saw an increase as a result.

As trading activity remained low, major U.S. stock indexes experienced mixed results on Friday following the Thanksgiving holiday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average saw a modest increase, while the S&P 500 dropped and the Nasdaq lagged behind. Retailers are adjusting their strategies as consumers remain cautious with their spending, and geopolitical tensions are impacting the energy sector. Nevertheless, cryptocurrencies are on the rise, with Bitcoin reaching its highest level in nearly six months.