US Stocks Inch Higher in Volatile Start to 2026: Markets Wrap

US stocks edged higher on Friday, as investors started 2026 on cautious footing following a year of strong equity performance while keeping an eye on rising Treasury yields.

The benchmark S&P 500 Index closed up 0.2% after swinging between gains and losses earlier in the session. The Nasdaq 100 was down 0.2%, with both gauges dented by weakness in technology names. Shares of Tesla Inc. fell after the company reported deliveries for the fourth quarter that missed the average analyst estimate, while Amazon Inc. and Microsoft Corp. slid. A Bloomberg measure of Magnificent Seven stocks sank by about 1%.