US benchmark equity indexes saw gains on Friday as traders returned from the Thanksgiving holiday for a shortened trading session on Wall Street. The Federal Reserve Board has approved the merger of United Bankshares' ($UBSI) proposed acquisition of Piedmont Bancorp and its subsidiary, Piedmont Bank.

The Fed stated that the merger will not have a significant adverse impact on competition in the banking sector. In commodities, January West Texas Intermediate crude oil closed down $0.06, settling at $68.66 per barrel. In contrast, January Brent crude, the global benchmark, was last observed down $0.22 at $73.06. In the equities market, Symbotic ($SYM) experienced a significant surge, with shares rising 11% in the first trading session after the company's stock faced a steep decline due to a late filing of its annual report for the fiscal year ending September 28, attributed to a revenue recognition error. Conversely, Grifols ($GRF) saw its shares plummet by 13% following reports indicating that the company is in talks with banks to extend a $1 billion revolving credit facility and refinance 370 million euros ($390.3 million) of bonds that are due in 2025. This dynamic week in financial markets illustrates the volatility and rapid shifts resulting from economic activities, policy changes, and corporate strategies..