US equities kicked off the final trading week of 2025 with a bit of a whimper, despite holding close to record highs. The truncated trading week will face a hiccup with a holiday closure on the cards later in the week.

Natural gas is still up and down on weather reports and the perception of liquefied natural gas exports.

In a seasonally favorable period, US equity indices are rallying but with hesitancy, with small-caps and tech struggling to build on the most recent momentum.

Gold has pulled back on year-end profit-taking and Dollar strength, but Fed rate cut expectations, political uncertainty, and war risks continue to support safe-haven demand. The broader uptrend remains intact.