U.S. markets were broadly lower before the opening bell in what’s expected to be thin holiday trading, the Associated Press reports. Futures for the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.4% in the early hours after markets were closed Wednesday for the Christmas holiday.
While it did little to boost Netflix’s stock, the streaming giant was the talk of Christmas with its broadcast of back-to-back NFL matchups.
U.S. markets have historically gotten a boost at year’s end, despite usually lower trading volumes. The last five trading days of each year, plus the first two in the new year, have brought an average gain of 1.3% since 1950.
Wall Street remains on pace to deliver strong returns for 2024, however. The benchmark S&P 500 is up 26.6% so far this year and remains within roughly 1% of the all-time high it set earlier this month — its latest of 57 record highs this year.
In other news today, U.S. benchmark crude oil rose 40 cents to $70.50 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, picked up 36 cents to $73.53 per barrel.
The dollar rose to 157.65 Japanese yen from 157.19 yen.
