Wall Street Flat Before Long Weekend; Weekly Losses Across Major Indexes

• US stocks ended nearly flat on Friday in a choppy session ahead of the long weekend, with all three major indexes posting weekly losses.
• Healthcare sector led daily declines, falling 0.8%, while chipmakers saw gains, with an index of semiconductors rising 1.2%.
• Big US banks reported solid Q4 earnings, but concerns over President Trump's proposed credit card interest rate cap pressured financial stocks.
• Investors reacted to news that President Trump might retain economic adviser Kevin Hassett, easing speculation about Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's succession.
• The earnings season intensifies next week with reports from Netflix, Johnson & Johnson, and Intel, as markets anticipate more clarity on fundamental conditions.

Why It Matters: Wall Street closed flat on Friday, but major indexes recorded weekly losses as Q4 earnings season began.