Stocks Near Record Highs, Silver Surges Then Falls Amid Holiday Trading

• Global stocks held near record highs; S&P 500 finished near an all-time high.
• Silver rallied 6% to over $80/ounce, then reversed gains, falling more than 2%.
• Industrial demand from solar, EVs, AI data centers, and depleting inventories cited for silver's surge.
• Precious metals boosted by central bank purchases, ETF inflows, and Federal Reserve rate cuts.
• Investors focus on AI trends, Fed's interest rates, China's fiscal spending, and geopolitics for 2026.

Why It Matters: Global stocks remain strong, silver sees volatile surge and fall, with Fed policy and AI driving future markets.