Futures Accelerate Monday



U.S. stock futures were slightly lower on Monday after the S&P 500 and NASDAQ Composite posted their third straight winning week, ahead of key inflation data due out this week.

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial average forged higher 19 points to 44,725.

Futures for the S&P 500 sank 7.25 points, or 0.1%, to 6,091.25

Futures for the NASDAQ Composite Index slid 54 points, or 0.3%, to 21,478.50.

The S&P 500 and NASDAQ closed at fresh records Friday, rising 1% and 3.3% for the week, respectively. The Dow was the lone laggard, closing the week down 0.6%.

Those moves come after the November jobs report showed stronger-than-expected growth, but not so much strength as to dent investor hopes the Federal Reserve will lower interest rates this month. Markets are pricing in an 85% chance the target rate will be lowered by a quarter point at the conclusion of the Dec. 18 meeting.

The November consumer price index, due out Wednesday, is expected to show a slight uptick in pricing pressures. Economists polled by Dow Jones expect a 0.3% and 2.7% monthly and yearly increase, respectively. That would be up from 0.2% and 2.6%, respectively, from the prior month.

On Monday, investors await October wholesale inventories data, due at 10 a.m. ET.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 gained 0.2% Friday, while in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng jumped 2.8%

Oil prices poked 87 cents to $68.07 U.S. a barrel.

Gold prices rocketed $20.00 to $2,655.90 U.S. an ounce.

US Market Updates