March S&P 500 E-Mini futures down -0.03%, Nasdaq 100 E-Mini futures down -0.01% pre-Christmas. U.S. markets close early today, closed Thursday for holiday. Wall Street indexes ended green, S&P 500 hit new high. Magnificent Seven stocks surged, chip stocks gained. ZIM Integrated Shipping Services rose +5%, ServiceNow fell over -1%.

U.S. Q3 GDP growth at +4.3%, stronger than expected. November industrial production rose +0.2%. Durable goods orders fell -2.2% m/m in October. Core durable goods orders rose +0.2% m/m. U.S. consumer confidence index fell to 89.1 in December. Money markets price in at least two Fed rate cuts in 2026.

Santa Claus Rally period starts today. S&P 500 averages 1.3% return since 1950. Investors await U.S. Initial Jobless Claims data. Rate futures predict 86.7% chance of no rate change at January FOMC meeting. Yield on 10-year U.S. Treasury note at 4.160%, down -0.22%.

Euro Stoxx 50 Index up +0.03%, energy stocks advance. Stoxx 600 index hits new high. Bank of Spain raises economic growth forecast. BP Plc rises after selling stake in Castrol unit. European economic data slate empty. Asian markets settle mixed, Shanghai Composite up +0.53%, Nikkei 225 down -0.14%.

China’s Shanghai Composite Index extends gains, tech stocks rise. Yuan strengthens. U.S. delays tariffs on Chinese semiconductor imports. Nikkei 225 closes slightly lower, pressured by stronger yen. Financial stocks slump, chip stocks climb. Japan plans to issue new government bonds. November Corporate Services Price Index up +2.7% y/y.

Pre-market movers: Dynavax up +37% after Sanofi buyout. UiPath climbs +8% after S&P index inclusion. Nike rises +2% after Apple CEO purchase. Intel slides -2% after Nvidia pause in testing. KB Home falls -0.8% after downgrade. No U.S. earnings spotlight today.

Read more at Yahoo Finance: Stock Index Futures Muted in Thin Pre-Christmas Trade, U.S. Jobless Claims Data on Tap