FARMINGTON, Connecticut — Christmas is less than four weeks away and shoppers were at the Westfarms Mall getting a head start buying presents for themselves or family members. Some shoppers got here early to shop. “I've been here since 5 a.m. to get a good parking space and shop till I drop and then go home,” one shopper said.

Semiconductor stocks were making a sizable contribution to the market's Black Friday gains. That's a welcome change for investors following a rocky stretch for this corner of the market. The VanEck Semiconductor ETF was up 2.