(Editor’s note: The future prices of benchmark tracking ETFs, stock prices, the lede, and the headline were updated in the story.)
U.S. stock futures pared earlier losses and advanced on Friday after ending in a mixed manner on Thursday. Futures of major benchmark indices were higher.
Investors await the September reading of the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, the PCE price index, a marquee event delayed by the recent government shutdown.
Streaming giant Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) said on Friday it will acquire HBO owner Warner Bros Discovery (NASDAQ:WBD) in a deal valued at about $82.7 billion.
Meanwhile, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas, U.S. job cuts fell 53% month-over-month in November, but the total of 71,321 remained 24% higher than a year ago, reflecting a cautious labor market grappling with soft demand, tariff pressures, and rising costs.
The 10-year Treasury bond yielded 4.11% and the two-year bond was at 3.53%. The CME Group’s FedWatch tool‘s projections show markets pricing an 87% likelihood of the Federal Reserve cutting the current interest rates during its December meeting.
Futures
Change (+/-)
Dow Jones
-0.03%
S&P 500
0.18%
Nasdaq 100
0.38%
Russell 2000
-0.04%
The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:SPY) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:QQQ), which track the S&P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, were higher in premarket on Friday. The SPY was up 0.24% at $686.03, while the QQQ advanced 0.34% to $625.05, according to Benzinga Pro data.
Stocks In Focus
Netflix
Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) was down 4.38% in premarket on Friday after announcing a deal to buy Warner Bros Discovery (NASDAQ:WBD). WBD Stock was up 0.61% before the bell.
Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings indicate that NFLX maintains a weaker price trend over the short, medium, and long terms, with a solid quality …Full story available on Benzinga.com
