U.S. index futures advanced on Monday after Wall Street closed the previous session with robust gains, led by technology stocks. Trading activity, however, is expected to stay subdued as markets enter a holiday-shortened week ahead of Christmas.
As of 4:51 P.M. (GMT+7), Dow Jones Industrial Average futures edged up 0.06%, or 28.80 points, to 48,163.70 points, while S&P 500 futures gained 0.30%, or 20.30 points, to 6,855.10 points. Nasdaq 100 futures also climbed 0.46%, or 116.30 points, to 25,462.50 points.
On Friday, the Dow Jones finished up 0.38%, the S&P 500 added 0.88%, and the Nasdaq Composite surged 1.31%, driven by continued momentum in megacap stocks—particularly those linked to optimism around artificial intelligence.
Market tone may grow more cautious due to the Federal Reserve’s measured approach. According to Bloomberg, Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack stated that the Fed’s current stance allows time to assess the effects of this year’s 75-basis-point rate cuts during the first quarter.
According to the CME FedWatch tool, there is now a 78.0% chance that rates will be held at the Fed’s January meeting, up from 75.6% a week earlier. The odds of a 25-basis-point rate cut have dropped to 22.0% from 24.4% a week prior.
Investors are also closely monitoring upcoming U.S. economic releases, including 3Q Gross Domestic Product (GDP), corporate profits, and industrial production figures. The latest batch of economic data has strengthened expectations that the Fed will continue easing rates into next year.
