Double dose of long-delayed jobs data weighs on US stocks
The markets continued to slide on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 and Russell 2000 finishing lower, while the Nasdaq 100 managed a last-hour rally to finish slightly up.
A messy trove of jobs data landed Tuesday morning with the release of nonfarm payrolls for October and November, showing a higher-than-expected unemployment rate of 4.6% in November. The US unemployment rate has now risen for four consecutive readings for the first time since June 2009. While some were looking for data that would support additional Fed rate cuts in 2026, the odds of future cuts remained largely unchanged post-release.
Markets were lethargic following the data, and the S&P 500 was devoid of preholiday cheer — the index as well as the Russell 2000 finished lower. The Nasdaq 100, which had been weighed by continued AI trade worries, managed to rally in the final hour of the session to finish in the green.
Stocks that moved higher:
Rezolve Ai soared after management boosted its 2025 annual recurring revenue guidance by 33%.
Meta ticked higher following the release of its new dedicated TV app for Instagram Reels.
IonQ and D-Wave Quantum spiked after Jefferies initiated coverage with “buy” ratings and bullish price targets.
Tesla notched a new record closing price, riding high as it tests its autonomous Robotaxi service without safety monitors and takes a bigger chunk of shrinking EV market share.
Stocks that moved lower:
RadNet plunged after a report coauthored by a prestigious journalist called the radiology company “the AI story that doesn’t add up.”
Frontier Airlines sank after its longtime CEO, who regularly feuded with United, suddenly departed.
Pfizer dropped after its 2026 guidance fell short of analysts’ expectations.
