December 26, 2014: Markets opened higher on Friday on a morning when it was difficult to find any market-moving news at all. Energy opened higher but traded about $1 a barrel lower (down 2%) as the day’s trading ended. Trading volume was very light on this day after Christmas. Shortly before the closing bell the DJIA traded up 0.26% for the day, the S&P 500 traded up 0.44%, and the Nasdaq Composite traded up 0.83%. All three indexes posted new yearly highs today.

The DJIA stock posting the largest daily gain ahead of the close Friday was McDonald’s Corp. (NYSE: MCD) which traded up 1.00% at $94.76. The stock’s 52-week range is $87.62 to $103.78. Trading volume was about 60% below the daily average of around 6.5 million shares. The company has lifted its restriction on french fry sales in Japan following settlement of a labor dispute at U.S. west coast ports.

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) traded up 0.91% at $31.70. The stock’s 52-week range is $27.51 to $33.12. Trading volume was about 80% below the daily average of around 26 million shares. There was no specific news today for the company.

Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) traded higher by 0.75% at $94.42. The stock’s 52-week range is $85.88 to $111.46. Volume was again about 50% below the daily average of around 5 million shares. The company had no news today.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) traded up 0.62% at $86.97. The stock’s 52-week range is $72.27 to $88.09. Trading volume about 65% below the daily average of around 7.5 million shares. The company had no specific news today, but reports related to the holiday shopping season were mostly upbeat today.

Of the Dow 30 stocks 22 are set to close higher today and 8 are on track to close lower.

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