New York, USA – The holiday-shortened trading week began positively on Wall Street as key market indices showed gains and investors reacted to the news of Scott Bessent’s appointment as Treasury Secretary by President-elect Donald Trump. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.9%, the S&P 500 rose by 0.2%, and the Nasdaq Composite increased by 0.1%.

In sector performance, Consumer Discretionary and Real Estate sectors saw the most significant gains, while the Energy sector lagged behind. U.S. Treasury yields started the week on a downward trend, with the 2-Year Treasury yield dropping by 10 basis points to 4.27% and the 10-Year Treasury yield decreasing by 13 basis points to 4.26%.

Bitcoin continued its upward momentum, with MicroStrategy acquiring more bitcoins, increasing its holdings by approximately 17% in the week of Nov. 18-24. The markets responded positively to Trump’s nomination of Bessent, with investors showing a preference for predictability and coherence in economic policy.

J.P. Morgan highlighted its top biotech picks for 2025, including companies like Vertex, Travere, SpringWorks, PTC Therapeutics, Wave Life Sciences, Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Edgewise Therapeutics, Blueprint, and Roivant. The sentiment survey conducted by Seeking Alpha’s Wall Street Breakfast revealed a strong preference for nuclear energy as the most realistic alternative energy source in the U.S.

J.P. Morgan analysts updated their Analyst Focus List with new additions like Tapestry, Alarm.com, and Regency Centers, while removing companies like AbbVie, Vera Therapeutics, CarMax, Entergy, and Bank of America. Gold prices saw a 6% increase the previous week, driven by safe-haven demand, while silver traded nearly 30% higher than at the beginning of 2024.

Macy’s is set to announce its Q3 earnings results on November 26th, with analysts expecting an EPS estimate of -$0.01 and a revenue estimate of $4.72 billion. Wall Street anticipates a shortened trading week due to the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday, with early market closures on Friday.

With a mix of market updates, economic indicators, and investment insights, the week ahead in finance promises to be eventful and engaging for investors and traders alike.