NEW YORK, December 28, 2025, 21:49 ET — Market closed
- Home Depot shares last closed up 0.7% at $349.78 in thin, post-Christmas trading.
- The broader U.S. market finished nearly flat as investors looked ahead to a holiday-shortened week and the Fed’s next signals on rates.
- The stock remains well below its 52-week high, keeping technical levels in view heading into the final sessions of 2025.
Home Depot shares ended the latest session on Friday up 0.7% at $349.78.
The move came in a quiet, light-volume stretch for U.S. stocks, with the S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq all closing marginally lower on Friday.
That matters now because year-end portfolio shifts and thin trading can amplify swings, especially in rate-sensitive consumer names tied to housing and remodeling.
Home Depot is closely watched as a read-through on U.S. home-improvement demand, where borrowing costs and home turnover can affect big projects and discretionary spending.
On Friday, Home Depot traded between $346.20 and $350.16, with about 1.8 million shares changing hands, according to market data.
Markets are also in the “Santa Claus rally” window — the last five trading days of the year and the first two of the new one — a period traders watch for a seasonal lift in equities. Reuters
Home Depot’s own outlook remains a key overhang. Earlier this month, the retailer forecast fiscal 2026 comparable sales growth — sales at stores open at least a year — of flat to 2%, below analysts’ expectations cited by Reuters.
It also forecast adjusted earnings per share to be flat to 4% higher, versus estimates for faster growth, as shoppers pulled back on do-it-yourself projects and big-ticket items.
“We believe that the pressures in housing will correct and provide the home improvement market with support for growth faster than the general economy,” CFO Richard McPhail said in a statement. Reuters
Rival Lowe’s has faced similar pressure as consumers curb spending on costly renovations in a higher borrowing-cost environment, Reuters reported.
Technically, Home Depot is trading inside a 52-week range of $326.31 to $426.75, leaving it about 18% below the high and roughly 7% above the low.
Before the next session, investors are focused on the Federal Reserve’s rate outlook. Minutes from the Fed’s most recent meeting are due Tuesday, and could add detail on how policymakers are weighing further cuts.
Reuters also flagged that year-end portfolio adjustments could stir volatility at a time when lighter volumes can exaggerate price moves.
For Home Depot, traders will be watching whether expectations for lower rates translate into firmer housing activity — a driver the company said it has not yet seen as a clear catalyst.
The next major company checkpoint is its next earnings report, expected in late February, according to Zacks’ earnings calendar.
