The major indexes are still on track for weekly gains
After the blue-chip index secured its fifth-straight win yesterday, Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) futures are down triple digits once again this morning. S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) futures are also lower, but all three major indexes remain on track for weekly gains thanks to that fervent Christmas Eve rally. In other news, the U.S. trade deficit rose almost 5% to $102.9 billion in November and is sitting near all-time highs.
Continue reading for more on today's market, including:
5 Things You Need to Know Today
- The Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE) saw more than 1.5 million call contracts and 774,521 put contracts exchanged on Thursday. The single-session equity put/call ratio fell to 0.49 and the 21-day moving average remained at 0.61.
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Shares of
Rigetti Computing Inc (NASDAQ:RGTI) are up 10.8% in premarket trading, looking to extend yesterday's massive 36% surge.
Quantum computing stocks have been popular as investors look ahead to 2025, with RGTI sporting a jaw-dropping 1,467.7% year-to-date gain.
- BioNTech SE (NASDAQ:BNTX) stock is down 0.5% ahead of the open, after the drugmaker reached a settlement with the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the University of Pennsylvania over Covid-19 vaccine royalties. BNTX added 23.3% over the last nine months.
- Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) stock is 1.2% higher before the bell, attempting to recover from last week's 17.8% bear gap, as European stocks rise after the holiday break. The pharmaceutical stock is down 15.3% in 2024.
- Light week of economic data ahead as New Year's Day approaches.
Asian Markets Unpack Slew of Economic Data
Asian stocks finished mixed amid a slew of economic data. Industrial profits in China declined 7.3% in November, falling for a fourth consecutive month, while in Japan, Tokyo reported a headline inflation reading of 3%. Also in the region, the Japanese cabinet gave the green light for a new historic $732 billion budget, while jobs data saw an unchanged rate of 2.5% in November. For the day, Japan’s Nikkei added 1.8%, South Korea’s Kospi fell 1%, and both Hong Kong’s Hang Seng and China’s Shanghai Composite finished flat.
European stocks are modestly higher at last check, with the healthcare sector leading gains. Also aiding in positive sentiment is an outperforming NVO. France’s CAC 40 is 0.7% higher, Germany’s DAX has added 0.5%, and London’s FTSE 100 is flat at last glance.