November wasn’t mild or typical for U.S. stocks

U.S. stock markets will be closed for Thanksgiving on Thursday and will reopen until 1pm ET on Friday.

With about three hours of trading left this month, major U.S. indexes are on track to end November in the red, according to CNBC calculations.

As of the close of trading on Wednesday, S&P500 Month-to-date, it has fallen 0.4%. Dow Jones Industrial Average It fell by 0.29% during the same period. Nasdaq Composite As technology stocks slumped in November, the stock fell 2.15%, well below its peers.

Unless stocks rise significantly during Friday’s shortened trading session (which may not be a clearly positive move as it raises further questions about the market’s sustainability), that means the index is on track to end its winning streak. The S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average have risen over the past six months, while the Nasdaq Composite Index has risen for seven months.

It would also mark a departure from historical norms. The S&P 500 index has gained an average of 1.8% in November since 1950, according to the Stock Traders Almanac. And the year after a U.S. presidential election, it typically rises by 1.6%.

But this year has not been a typical post-election year. It is unlikely that the market will continue on its historical trajectory over the coming months or years.

U.S. futures were almost flat on Thursday night. Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed on Friday, with stock markets closed for the day for Thanksgiving in the United States. Japanese Nikkei Stock Average It rose in volatile trading after higher-than-expected inflation in Tokyo.

President Trump to suspend immigration from “Third World countries.” The US president will also cancel federal benefits and subsidies for “non-citizens” in the country, Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Thursday night. President Trump did not say which countries would be affected.

South Korea imposes sanctions on Prince Group. A Cambodian conglomerate has been accused of carrying out large-scale fraud across Southeast Asia. The United States, United Kingdom, and Singapore also imposed punitive measures against the company.

Russia is ready for “serious” talks towards peace. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that the U.S.-led framework “could become the basis for a future agreement,” as translated by Reuters. He added that the US appears to be “taking into consideration” Russia’s position.

(PRO) Bank of America doesn’t expect big upside in 2026. The S&P 500 should rise a single-digit percentage, but this will be slower than in recent years as one of its supporting factors shrinks, the bank’s strategists said.

Europe’s slow and steady approach to AI could be its strength

While Europe is unlikely to take the lead in building AI hyperscalers and facilities for AI training, and is considered to have largely won that race, the general consensus is that Europe may be better at smaller, cloud-centric, connectivity-style facilities.

Europe “has a lot of constraints, but the reality is that the harder it is to replicate, the better the long-term value of what you get,” said Seb Dooley, senior fund manager at Principal Asset Management.

— Tasmin Lockwood