US equities ended December 31 with sharp, uneven moves, highlighting heightened risk appetite in pockets of the market even as broader indices showed caution. Several microcap and warrant-linked stocks delivered outsized gains, led by Bone Biologics Corp (BBLGW), which surged over 160%, followed by Intelligent Bio Solutions (INBS) and Anghami Inc. (ANGHW), both posting triple-digit advances. BT Brands (BTBDW) and Netcapital (NCPLW) also featured among the top gainers as speculative interest drove aggressive buying.
On the downside, heavy selling pressure hit select names. SMX (Security Matters) plunged nearly 70%, emerging as the session’s steepest decliner. Jasper Therapeutics (JSPRW), Lexaria Bioscience (LEXXW), Nauticus Robotics (KITTW) and Globavend Holdings (GVH) also logged losses exceeding 50%, underscoring the volatility prevalent in smaller and less liquid stocks.
Trading activity remained elevated. Northann Corp (NCL) led the market by share volume, followed by Datavault AI (DVLT) and Direct Digital Holdings (DRCT). By dollar volume, ETFs and large caps dominated, with SPY, NVIDIA, Tesla, QQQ and Apple seeing active trades, though most closed lower.
Overall, the session reflected a market split between speculative momentum in microcaps and cautious positioning in heavyweight stocks as the year drew to a close.
