Stocks Kick Off 2021 Near Record Highs, Dow Flat Ahead Of Senate Runoffs That Could Jolt Markets

Stocks Kick Off 2021 Near Record Highs, Dow Flat Ahead Of Senate Runoffs That Could Jolt Markets

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Kicking off the first day of trading in 2021, stocks are hanging on to record gains as Wall Street eyes the two Senate runoffs in Georgia on Tuesday that could yield either a fruitful environment for corporations or set the stage for a Democrat-controlled Congress that forces investors to reconsider their portfolios.

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kelly Loeffler speaks to supporters during a Save Our Majority ... [+] campaign rally with Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) on November 11, 2020 in Marietta, Georgia.



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Key Facts





Shortly after the market open, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500–which climbed nearly 7% and 18% in 2020, respectively–were down about 0.3% and 0.1%, respectively.





Meanwhile, the tech-heavy Nasdaq also slipped about 0.1% after surging an eye-popping 45% last year–its second-largest annual gain in history, bested only by a near-90% gain in 1999 right before the tech bubble popped.







After more than quadrupling in value last year, bitcoin prices plunged 13% Monday morning following a record high of $34,000 on Sunday; experts are signaling this