Equity markets started off the final trading week of the year on a mixed note, with many taking profits and locking in gains, while some cheered on the positive economic data at home. The holiday weekend wasn’t enough to inspire a full-scale Santa Claus rally like many had hoped ; the Nasdaq led with way higher, clinching a 0.25% gain, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average Lagged Behind, turning in a loss of 0.02% on the day. Gold futures inched lower as stock markets drifted sideways, with prices for the precious yellow metal settling near $1,595 an ounce as the trading session drew to a close [see ETF Insider: Slick Picks For Year End Bulls]. Prospects for the U.S. economic recovery continue to improve as better-than-expected consumer confidence bolstered optimism; the figure came in at 64.5 versus the expected 60, blowing past last month’s reading of 55.2. Crude oil climbed [...] Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com. Related Posts: Daily ETF Roundup: DBA Tumbles On Soft Commodity Slump, GDX Soars On Gold’s Strength Daily ETF Roundup: GDX Drops 3.8%, DBA Jumps Beyond TIP: 10 ETFs To Protect Against Inflation ETFs To Invest Like Ron Paul ETF Insider: Euphoria Simmers Before U.S. GDP