The Santa Claus rally is in full swing this year
Fresh off a post-Christmas climb to new record highs, Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) futures are signaling a nearly triple-digit pop out of the gate this morning. The S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) are also on pace for positive opens today, with the Santa Claus rally taking a strong hold this year amid trade tailwinds. The latter is fresh off its 10th straight record close, with volume expected to be light again in today's trading.
Continue reading for more on today's market, including:
- This airline stock could hit turbulence in early 2020.
- A trial fail dinged this drug stock.
- Plus, Comcast eyes streaming purchase; Tesla Shanghai factory makes first delivery; and Zynga a best idea in 2020.
5 Things You Need to Know Today
- The Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE) saw 1.15 million call contracts traded on Thursday, compared to 499,232 put contracts. The single-session equity put/call ratio slipped to 0.43, while the 21-day moving average fell to 0.57.
- Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) stock is in focus this morning, after the Wall Street Journal reported the broadcasting company is in talks to acquire video-streaming company Xumo. After a Sept. 12 record high of $47.27, CMCSA has spent recent months consolidating below its 50-day moving average.
- Staying hot this morning is Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA), up 1.1% ahead of the bell after the electric car company announced it will deliver the first 15 Model 3 cars from its Shanghai factory this Monday, Dec. 30. TSLA is fresh off a big bull note and another record high.
- The shares of Zynga Inc (NASDAQ:ZNGA) are up 0.9% in electronic trading, after Stephens indicated the online gaming issue will be kept on its Best Ideas list for 2020. ZNGA is up 60% in 2019, but has traded in a tight range between $6 and $6.50 in the last three months, with its 160-day moving average containing pullbacks.
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There is nothing else on the economic calendar today.
Asian Markets Mixed; European Stocks Join Rally
It was a mixed trading session in Asia, with markets settling on both sides of the breakeven. The Hang Sang in Hong Kong was the biggest winner, reopening after a two-day holiday break and notching a five-month high, closing up 1.3% as investors took a cue from surging U.S. markets amid easing geopolitical sentiments. China’s Shanghai Composite closed slightly lower, down 0.08%, brushing off upbeat industrial profits data for November. Elsewhere, the Nikkei in Japan dropped 0.4% on a worse-than-expected decline in retail sales last month, while the South Korean Kospi added 0.3%, buoyed by a big win for Samsung Electronics.
Stocks in Europe are taking a cue from Wall Street as well, with all major markets soaring during midday trading. The German DAX is in the lead at last glance, up 0.6%, while the French CAC 40 has tacked on 0.4%, and the London FTSE 100 is up 0.3%.