Stock Market Update: Nasdaq Achieves Best Week of 2025 as Dow and S&P 500 Secure Third Straight Weekly Gains
Date: February 14, 2025
By: Rian Howlett, Karen Friar, and Ines Ferré
In a week characterized by significant economic data and geopolitical developments, the stock market exhibited mixed results on Friday. The Nasdaq Composite concluded the week at a record high, marking the best weekly performance of 2025, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 also recorded their third consecutive weekly gains.
Key Market Performance
The Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) closed up 0.4%, delivering an impressive week that concluded on a positive note amid concerns over rising tariffs and inflation. In contrast, the S&P 500 (^GSPC) fell slightly, while the Dow Jones (^DJI) saw a 0.3% drop, following a surge in the previous day’s trading session.
This week’s trading was significantly influenced by the release of retail sales data, which reported a surprising decline of 0.9% in January—much steeper than the 0.2% decline that analysts had anticipated. This data, compounded by rising inflation concerns and the impact of recent tariff increases, has kept investors on alert regarding potential interest rate adjustments.
Economic Influences
The market’s fluctuations were further compounded by a series of policy changes and announcements from President Donald Trump this week. These included the re-evaluation of tariffs on steel and aluminum and discussions surrounding additional tariffs on automobiles, set to be announced around April 2. As investors sought clarity amidst these developments, trading was particularly invigorated on Thursday, buoyed by discussions of a delay in the implementation of reciprocal tariffs, which improved market sentiment.
Noteworthy Stock Movements
Several companies saw significant movements in their stock prices on Friday. Airbnb (ABNB) outperformed analyst expectations, leading to a boost in its share value. Meanwhile, GameStop (GME) shares increased amid speculation about the company’s potential move into bitcoin. In contrast, Moderna (MRNA) experienced a setback, with shares dropping after the company reported a larger-than-expected earnings loss.
Big Tech firms were notable contributors to the week’s gains. Nvidia (NVDA) announced a realignment in its equity holdings, boosting its stock by approximately 6% for the week. Apple (AAPL) outperformed other tech giants, gaining over 7% in the same period.
Meta (META) emerged as a standout performer year-to-date, reaching new all-time highs and recording a weekly increase of over 3%. Intel (INTC) stocks were also in the spotlight, set to achieve a 23% gain for the week—the highest weekly performance since 2000—following optimistic remarks from Vice President JD Vance regarding domestic AI chip production.
Market Outlook
As the week wrapped up, the stock market is poised for continued monitoring of economic indicators as well as developments in trade policy. Next Monday, the markets will be closed in observance of President’s Day, allowing investors a brief respite before reconvening on Tuesday to assess the evolving economic landscape.
The coming days will demand close attention as analysts and investors alike navigate the ongoing challenges and opportunities in this dynamic market environment.
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