NEW YORK: US stock index futures edged lower in thin Christmas Eve trading today, as traders wait to see whether stocks can extend record gains in a seasonally strong stretch for markets.
The benchmark S&P 500 hit a closing record high yesterday, lifted by megacap technology stocks, while a flurry of data painted a mixed picture of the US economy, prompting traders to stick to expectations of monetary easing next year.
The US economy grew at its fastest pace in two years in the third quarter, according to government data yesterday that was delayed by a 43-day federal shutdown, but worsening consumer confidence in December and a flat reading on November factory production tempered the outlook.