Trading results for 20 February 2025

Thursday’s trading session unfolded exactly as most analysts had predicted – the market experienced a slight correction. Almost every economic sector was affected, with only four out of eleven finishing the day in the green: energy, healthcare, commodities, and real estate management. Thanks to these sectors, the indexes did not lose as much as they could have.

Market sentiment was already subdued in the morning, and just before trading began, a “small bombshell” worsened the situation – the quarterly report of global retail giant Walmart (WMT, -6.53%). Investors had expected exceptionally strong results but miscalculated, which further soured market sentiment. As a result, the session opened on a negative note, with indexes immediately dropping by over 1%. Fortunately, that turned out to be the day’s low, and the brief sell-off did not escalate further.

For the rest of the session, indexes struggled to recover but ultimately failed to return to positive territory. The biggest loser was Dow Jones (DJIA-30), which fell more than 1% (-1.01%). The main culprits dragging it down were Walmart (WMT) and two banking giants: JPMorgan Chase (JPM, -4.46%) and Goldman Sachs (GS, -3.88%). Losses for the Dow’s younger counterparts – the S&P 500 and the tech-heavy NASDAQ Composite – stood at 0.43% and 0.47%, respectively.

However, these were U.S. market movements. Meanwhile, the ITS World Index once again pleased investors, setting a new all-time high. This was primarily driven by Chinese companies, as shares of China’s leading tech giants continue to see strong demand. Yesterday, Alibaba (BABA, +8.09%) joined the rally, delivering an outstanding Q4 2024 report – a stark contrast to Walmart. Alibaba's stock soared by more than 8%, helping the ITSW index climb 0.47% and close at a new record high of 1,320.08 points.

The ITS Shariah Index also performed relatively well but was held back by Walmart, which prevented it from finishing in positive territory. Nevertheless, the losses were minimal – just 0.07%. Notably, for the second consecutive day, healthcare and pharmaceutical stocks played a leading role within the Shariah index. Among the top ten gainers, six were from this sector, including Merck (MRK, +2.43%), AbbVie (ABBV, +1.79%) and AstraZeneca (AZN, +1.02%).

Summing up Thursday’s session, everything appears to be going according to plan: after several days of gains, the market paused for a minor correction. The pressure has been released, and in theory, the market can move forward. However, whether further growth will follow remains uncertain, given the prevailing market volatility. That said, there is no major cause for concern – no serious threats are looming on the horizon. And that, at least, is something to be thankful for!