U.S. stock futures were mixed early Thursday as investors awaited November’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) data this morning, which could shape the Fed’s future policy decisions. Futures on the Nasdaq 100 (NDX) and the S&P 500 (SPX) were up 0.49% and 0.20%, respectively, while those on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) were down 0.06%, at 3:20 a.m. EST on December 18.
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During Wednesday’s regular trading session, the three major indexes closed lower, as renewed AI bubble concerns marred investor sentiment. The tech-heavy Nasdaq tumbled 1.81%, with the S&P 500 and Dow falling 1.16% and 0.47%, respectively. AI stocks plunged after the Financial Times reported that one of Oracle’s (ORCL) key investors, Blue Owl Capital (OWL), withdrew from its $10 billion Michigan data center project.
Looking ahead, traders will focus on key economic reports including November’s CPI, initial jobless claims, and the Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones expect headline inflation to rise 3.1% year-over-year.
Turning to the earnings calendar, major companies reporting today include Nike (NKE), FedEx (FDX), Accenture (ACN), and CarMax (KMX).
Notably, the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield was down, floating near 4.13%. WTI crude oil futures were trending higher, hovering near $56.47 per barrel as of the last check. Additionally, the Gold Spot U.S. dollar price increased to nearly $4,328 per ounce on Thursday.
Elsewhere, European indexes opened mostly higher on Thursday as traders prepare for central bank rate decisions. The European Central Bank (ECB), Bank of England (BOE), Riksbank, and Norges Bank are all set to conclude monetary policy meetings today and issue their interest rate decisions.
Asia-Pacific Markets Traded Mixed
Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed on December 18 amid drops in AI-related names.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 0.06%. In China, the Shanghai Composite gained 0.16%, while the Shenzhen Component fell 0.53%. Meanwhile, Japan’s Nikkei dropped 1.03%, and the Topix fell 0.37%.
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