US stocks edge higher as investors struggle against Omicron volatility

US stocks edge higher as investors struggle against Omicron volatility

US stocks traded slightly higher on Thursday as concerns surrounding the Omicron virus and hawkish comments from Fed Chairman Jerome Powell weighed on investors. On Wednesday, the CDC said it identified the first case of the COVID-19 Omicron variant in the US, which it found in California. With little known about how transmissible and deadly the new variant is, and whether current vaccines protect against it, investors are selling first and asking questions later. Adding to the volatility on Thursday was that Apple is experiencing a decline in demand for its iPhones this holiday season. Shares of Apple traded down more than 3% in early Thursday trades. The metaverse investment theme is growing in popularity, with Ark Invest's Cathie Wood that will infiltrate every sector. Sales of , with The Sandbox platform taking a big lead from other NFT platforms. Insider sales have soared to a record high this year, with Elon Musk selling more than $10 billion of Tesla last month. Jeff Bezos is also selling Amazon stock, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently sold half of his stake in the software giant. Fidelity is launching its own spot bitcoin ETF in Canada this week, even as the SEC