U.S. Stocks Maintain Weekly Gains Ahead of Shortened Wednesday Session

United States | EcoPulse24

U.S. stocks have maintained their gains since the start of the week, with futures for major indices trading slightly higher ahead of Wednesday’s shortened session on Christmas Eve. The economic outlook remains supportive for corporate earnings heading into next year.

Pre-market trading indicated the S&P 500 was set to open at a new record, while the Dow Jones and Nasdaq 100 were expected to post modest gains as official trading began. Risk appetite continues despite seasonally low liquidity.

Market sentiment improved after the preliminary estimate of U.S. Q3 GDP was released yesterday, showing annualized growth of 4.3%, surpassing forecasts and driven by strong personal consumer spending. This eased concerns about the impact of tariffs on demand or renewed inflationary pressures.

In the technology sector, major companies held onto their earlier weekly gains despite ongoing debate over high valuations. However, Intel shares were expected to drop more than 3% at the open following reports that Nvidia halted a chip test that was to use Intel equipment.

Today’s session will see U.S. markets close early at 1:00 p.m. New York time, with exchanges remaining closed on Thursday for the Christmas holiday, explaining the subdued trading activity and lack of strong momentum.

Analytical View | EcoPulse24

Pre-market moves reflect continued cautious optimism in U.S. markets, supported by strong economic data but countered by holiday-related liquidity constraints. Index movements are likely to remain limited until normal trading resumes after the holiday season.