Investors hoped to maintain the gains made in the last two years as they began trading on stock futures for 2025.
Dow Jones Industrial Average Futures gained 198, or 0.46 %, and S&P500 futures rose by 35, or 0.60 %.
Nasdaq 100 futures were the first to rise, gaining 166.75 or 0.79 percent.
On Thursday, the indices will be trying to end their four-session losing streak. Santa Claus rallies did not materialize in the last days of this year.
2024, despite a slight pullback on the markets in December’s final days, was an excellent year.
Dow Jones rose by nearly 13%. The S&P 500 ended the year with a 23% gain.
Nasdaq Composite dominated with 29% gains, driven by interest rate easing and excitement over artificial intelligence.
The “Magnificent 7” stocks drove the majority of market action in 2018.
Nvidia’s stock soared 171% while Apple gained 30%.
Investors now will be focusing on key data releases including US unemployment claims due Thursday.
In the months to come, markets will be closely monitoring global economic growth in Europe and China as well as Federal Reserve interest rate policy and the agenda of President-elect Trump for his second tenure.
European stocks open mixed
The European stock market showed mixed results on Thursday, as traders re-entered their offices after a long New Year’s holiday.
STOXX 600 pan-European index fell 0.1%, to 507.08, after experiencing the sharpest decline of its last two years in October and December.
While the FTSE 100 and DAX in Germany showed no movement, France’s CAC40 fell over 1%.
According to Nationwide Building Society data, UK house price growth in December was 4.7%, compared with 3.7% in November. This is higher than the economists’ expectation of 3.8%.
On a monthly level, however, the house price inflation rate slowed from 1,2% to 0,7% in December.
Asian stock markets end the first day of 2025 mainly in red
Asian stock markets began the year cautiously after an impressive 2024 on global equity market.
The Japanese and New Zealand market were closed as well for the holiday.
Caixin/S&P Global Manufacturing PMI for China fell to 50.5 from 51.5 in November, which is below analysts’ expectations.
The disappointing data on Chinese factory activities signaled a difficult economic outlook, and increased calls for policy assistance.
The Shanghai Composite Index fell 2.66%, to 3,262.56.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index also fell 2.18%, to 19,623.32, in spite of China’s promises of more aggressive economic policies to achieve a growth goal of around 5% by 2025.
Stocks in South Korea finished slightly lower due to data on factory activity showing contraction in the month of December.
The political uncertainty added to the pressure as Yoon Suk-Yeol, impeached president of South Korea, continued his refusal to be arrested for the third day in a row.
Australian markets ended higher after trading resumed following the New Year’s holiday.
S&P/ASX 200, the benchmark index, rose 0.52% at 8,201.20. The All Ordinaries Index settled up 0.53% to 8,465.
The Indian stock market also enjoyed a good day on the exchanges.
Benchmark Sensex climbed 1,436 or 1.83% points to 79.943.71. The 30-stock index rose over 80,000 during the day.
The original version of this post US stocks could end 4-day losing streak by Thursday, as Nasdaq and S&P Futures Jump may change as new developments unfold.
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