Stock Futures Little Changed as Traders Enter December

Stock futures were muted heading into the final month of trading for the year. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Key Points

• Stock futures were muted as investors anticipated December’s market performance and a busy week of economic data releases.
• OPEC+ confirmed a pause on oil production hikes for the first quarter of 2026 due to expected weaker market conditions.
• Last week, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 3.2%, the S&P 500 increased 3.7%, and the Nasdaq Composite gained 4.9%.

Stock futures were relatively muted as investors and traders brace for the beginning of the last month of the year.

It’s also a busy week of earnings reports and the release of economic data that were delayed because of the government shutdown that ended earlier this month. Expectations are running high for a strong December for stock markets after a volatile November.

Shortly after 6 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures and S&P 500 futures were both down 0.1%, while Nasdaq Composite futures were flat.

Earlier Sunday, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and their allies, called OPEC+, confirmed a previously announced pause on production hikes for the first quarter of 2026, saying the curb was needed because of expected weaker seasonal market conditions and worries about surplus oil supplies.

Futures of West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. benchmark, traded up late Sunday, rising 1.6% to around $59 a barrel.

This week’s economic highlights include the Bureau of Economic Analysis’ delayed September export and import price data on Wednesday; the ADP’s National Employment Report for November on Wednesday; the BLS’ personal consumption expenditures price index for September on Friday; and the University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index for December, also on Friday.

Last week, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 3.2% for the week and up 0.3% for the month, in its largest seven-month point and percentage gain since November 2024, and its longest winning streak since January 2018, according to Dow Jones Market Data.
The Dow is up 12.2% so far this year.

The S&P 500 index closed up 3.7% for the week and up 0.1% for the month, in its largest seven-month percentage gain since May 2024 and its longest winning streak since August 2021. The S&P 500 is up 16.4% this year.

The Nasdaq Composite closed up 4.9% last week, but down 1.5% for the month, snapping a seven-month winning streak. The Nasdaq is up 21% year to date.

Write to Janet H. Cho at janet.cho@dowjones.com