U.S. stock futures edged lower on early Friday after markets reopened following the Christmas break. Futures on the Nasdaq 100 (NDX), the S&P 500 (SPX), and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) were down 0.12%, 0.10%, and 0.15%, respectively, at 3:33 a.m. EST on December 26.
Claim 70% Off TipRanks This Holiday Season
- Unlock hedge fund-level data and powerful investing tools for smarter, sharper decisions
- Stay ahead of the market with the latest news and analysis and maximize your portfolio's potential
U.S. stock markets were closed on Thursday for Christmas Day after an early close on Wednesday, keeping trading activity muted. Volumes are expected to remain light ahead of a shortened New Year’s week. Earlier in the week, the S&P 500 closed at a record high, supported by stronger-than-expected U.S. economic growth in the third quarter. Other major indexes also extended their winning streak to four sessions, helped by big tech names such as Alphabet (GOOGL), Nvidia (NVDA), Broadcom (AVGO), and Amazon (AMZN).
As markets return to normal trading on Friday, investors will seek more insights from economic releases. With volumes thin, trading could remain calm, though late December often brings the seasonal “Santa Claus rally.”
Meanwhile, the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield was up, floating near 4.15%. WTI crude oil futures were trending higher, hovering near $58.45 per barrel as of the last check. Additionally, the Gold Spot U.S. dollar price increased to nearly $4,515 per ounce on Wednesday, continuing to touch record highs. The prices of precious metals like gold, silver, and platinum are rising amid expectations of interest rate cuts and geopolitical tensions.
Elsewhere, several European markets were closed for the Boxing Day holiday. Even though markets in Germany, Italy, and Spain are open, trading is low as many investors are away for the holiday period.
Asia-Pacific Markets Close Higher on Friday
Australia and Hong Kong markets were closed on Friday for the Boxing Day holiday, while the remaining Asia-Pacific markets closed higher.
The Shanghai Composite gained 0.10%, while the Shenzhen Component added 0.54%. Meanwhile, Japan’s Nikkei rose 0.68% amid strength in tech stocks, while the Topix advanced 0.15%.
Stay ahead of macro events with our up-to-the-minute Economic Calendar — filter by impact, country, and more.