NEW YORK, New Yoprk - U.S. stock indexes delivered a mixed performance Friday to close out the trading week, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average retreating while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite eked out modest gains in thin, cautious trading.

The benchmark Standard and Poor's 500 (^GSPC) inched upward by 2.26 points, or 0.03 percent, to close at 6,915.61.

The technology-heavy NASDAQ Composite (^IXIC) followed suit, adding 65.22 points, a gain of 0.28 percent, to finish at 23,501.24.

Conversely, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) declined by 285.30 points, or 0.58 percent, settling at 49,098.71.

"Today's action reflects a market in digestion mode," said Lisa Chen, chief market strategist at Horizon Capital. "With major earnings behind us and key economic data on the horizon, investors are pausing to reassess the outlook for interest rates and growth."

European markets presented a mixed picture. Germany's DAX (^GDAXI) advanced 0.18 percent to 24,900.71. In London, the FTSE 100 (^FTSE) dipped slightly by 0.07 percent to 10,143.44, while France's CAC 40 (^FCHI) also fell 0.07 percent to 8,143.05. The pan-European EURO STOXX 50 (^STOXX50E) retreated 0.13 percent.

The Asia-Pacific region saw broader strength. Japan's Nikkei 225 (^N225) rose 0.29 percent to a close of 53,846.87. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index (^HSI) climbed 0.45 percent, and South Korea's KOSPI (^KS11) jumped 0.76 percent. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 (^AXJO) gained 0.13 percent. Singapore's STI Index (^STI) was a standout performer, surging 1.31 percent. However, India's BSE Sensex (^BSESN) fell 0.94 percent.

Friday's trading session closed with a mixed and generally subdued performance across major global indices, as investors appeared to pause after a period of significant movement. The standout narrative was the divergence between U.S. blue-chips and technology stocks, alongside steady gains in several key Asian markets.

Here is a breakdown of the closing performance across regions.

🇺🇸 United States

The three major U.S. indices did not move in unison, reflecting sector-specific pressures and gains.

• Dow Jones Industrial Average: Closed at 49,109.29, declining by 0.56 percent.

• S&P 500: Finished nearly flat at 6,914.39, edging up a marginal 0.02 percent.

• NASDAQ Composite: Gained 0.27 percent, closing at 23,498.74.

🇪🇺 European Markets

Major European benchmarks were quiet, with minimal changes.

• FTSE 100 (UK): Slightly down by 0.07 percent to 10,143.44.

• DAX (Germany), CAC 40 (France), EURO STOXX 50: Based on your data, these indices showed very minor movements of less than +/-0.2 percent.

• Euronext 100 and BEL 20 (Belgium): Also posted small declines.

🇦🇺🇯🇵🇭🇰 Asia-Pacific Highlights

Performance in the Asia-Pacific region was more positive, led by technology and export-oriented markets.

Middle East Markets

• Middle East markets were closed on Friday and will reopen on Sunday,.

Canadian and African Indices

• Canada & South Africa: The S&P/TSX Composite rose 0.43 percent, and South Africa's Top 40 USD Index gained 0.89 percent.

• Broad Indices: The MSCI Europe Index advanced 0.81 percent.

Analysts often view such a fragmented and low-volatility session as a sign of consolidation. With major corporate earnings seasons winding down in the U.S. and Europe, and key central bank policy meetings on the horizon, investors are likely reassessing their positions. The strength in Asian markets, particularly in Japan and Hong Kong, suggests ongoing investor confidence in the regional growth outlook and corporate earnings potential.

U.S. Dollar Stumbles Against Majors, Pound and Euro Lead Friday Charge

The U.S. Dollar retreated broadly in Friday's foreign exchange session, capping a volatile week with significant losses against most major European and commodity-linked currencies. The sell-off was driven by the antics of U.S. President Donald Trump on the world stage, a combination of softening US economic data and a notable shift in global risk sentiment, which prompted investors to seek opportunities outside the traditional safe-haven dollar.

The British Pound was the standout performer, rallying strongly after better-than-expected retail sales figures from the UK bolstered confidence in the domestic economy. The Euro also posted solid gains, supported by hawkish commentary from European Central Bank officials reaffirming their focus on inflation.

"The data pulse from the US this week has been decidedly mixed, causing markets to reassess the pace of future Federal Reserve policy," said currency strategist Anya Petrova of Global Forex Advisors. "This reprieve in dollar strength has allowed the Euro and Pound, in particular, to recover from oversold levels."

Key Friday FX Moves

The day's action was characterized by a clear trendt: the dollar weakened against European and commodity currencies and plummeted against the Japese yen.

Major Dollar Losses:

• British Pound (GBP/USD): surged to 1.3640, gaining 1.02 percent.

• Euro (EUR/USD): advanced to 1.1827, up 0.62 percent.

• Australian Dollar (AUD/USD): rose to 0.6898, increasing 0.87 percent.

• New Zealand Dollar (NZD/USD): climbed to 0.5949, up 0.40 percent.

• Canadian Dollar (USD/CAD): fell to 1.3698, as the Loonie gained 0.62 percent on the dollar.

• Swiss Franc (USD/CHF): dropped to 0.7807, with the Franc appreciating 1.02 percent.

• Japanese Yen (USD/JPY): dollar crashed to 155.71, a loss of 1.65 percent 

Market Context and Outlook

Looking ahead, the market's focus will shift to next week's releases of the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge and key employment data, which are expected to provide the next major catalyst for currency directions. Traders will be watching to see if Friday's dollar weakness marks a temporary pause or the beginning of a more sustained trend.

(This report incorporates quotes retrieved with the assistance of artificial intelligence).

Related stories:

Thursday 22 January 2026 | Wall Street advances as Trump turmoil ebbs | Big News Network.com

Wednesday 21 January 2026 | U.S. stocks rebound after Trump backflip on Greenland, tariffs | Big News Network.com 

Tuesday 20 January 2026 | Dow Jones sheds 871 pints as investors flee U.S. assets | Big News Network.com 

Monday 19 January 2026 | UK and EU stocks tumble after hostilities with U.S. heighten over Greenland  | Big News Network.com