Last Updated: 4:05 PM EST
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Stock indices finished today’s trading session in the red. The Nasdaq 100 (NDX), the S&P 500 (SPX), and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) fell 1.36%, 1.11%, and 0.77%, respectively.
Earlier today, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that the international trade deficit increased to $102.9 billion in November 2024, up from $98.3 billion in October. In addition, exports rose by $7.4 billion to $176.4 billion, while imports increased by $12 billion to $279.2 billion during the same period.
Furthermore, wholesale inventories in November were estimated at $901.6 billion, which was a 0.2% decline from October but a 0.9% increase year-over-year. Retail inventories climbed to $827.5 billion in November, up 0.3% from October and 7.2% higher compared to November 2023. When excluding auto, retail inventories saw a 0.6% growth.
Separately, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released its weekly Crude Oil Inventories report, which measures the weekly change in the number of barrels of commercial crude oil held by U.S. firms.
Compared to last week, inventories decreased by -4.237 million barrels. For reference, economists were expecting a decrease of 700,000 barrels week-over-week. This means that demand was much stronger than anticipated. Nevertheless, WTI settled $0.48 lower to $69.62 per barrel.
First Published: 3:36 AM EST
U.S. stock futures trended lower on early Friday after major indices witnessed a muted trading session yesterday. Futures on the Nasdaq 100 (NDX), the S&P 500 (SPX) and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) were down 0.41%, 0.34%, and 0.29% at 3:25 a.m. EST, December 27. As of Thursday’s closing, the three major indices were in the green on a weekly basis, thanks to solid gains at the beginning of the week.
On Thursday, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 closed 0.04% and 0.13% lower, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.07%.
Despite a lackluster Thursday, traders continue to expect a solid start to 2025 in hopes of the “Santa Claus rally,” which refers to the generally observed upward movement in the equities during the last five trading days of the calendar year and the first two trading in January.
Key economic releases on Friday include a report on retail inventories excluding autos and the Fed Balance Sheet.
Meanwhile, the U.S. 10-year treasury yield was up, floating near 4.597% at the time of writing. At the same time, WTI crude oil futures are trending higher, hovering near $69.72 per barrel as of the last check.
Elsewhere, several European markets opened lower following the Boxing Day holiday. Traders will assess the retail sales figure data to be released today by Spain and Norway.
Asia-Pacific Traded Mixed on Friday
Asia-Pacific ended mixed on Friday, as investors focused on key economic data. Specifically, China’s industrial profits fell 7.3% in November, marking the fourth consecutive month of decline.
China’s Shanghai Composite closed higher by 0.06%, while the Shenzhen Component declined by 0.13%. Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was down marginally by 0.01%.
Meanwhile, Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index closed higher by 1.80%, while the Topix was up 1.26%. Tokyo’s inflation reading revealed an inflation rate of 3% in November, reflecting an increase from 2.6% in October. Inflation in Tokyo is a key indicator of the price levels in Japan. Following the release of Tokyo’s inflation numbers, the 10-year government bond yield moved higher, indicating that the country’s central bank is expected to continue to tighten its monetary policy.
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