FX.co ★ US Futures Hold Near Record Highs

U.S. equity futures remained subdued on Friday in anticipation of limited trading activity following holiday closures. Futures for the S&P 500 and the Dow hovered near their record highs, buoyed by expectations of sustained economic growth and supportive monetary policy, which are anticipated to enhance earnings prospects. While there is optimism about the robustness of corporate revenues, doubts persist regarding the extent of potential interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve next year. Additionally, concerns about potentially overestimated capital expenditure in AI infrastructure have tempered what could have been a more pronounced year-end rally. Commodity markets drew attention as both precious and base metals continued their upward trends, with futures for Newmont and Freeport-McMoRan climbing. Oil companies were also set for advances as the White House intensified its rhetoric against the Venezuelan government and its oil infrastructure. Meanwhile, Nvidia made slight gains following its licensing agreement with AI startup Groq.