US equity futures showed minimal movement prior to the market opening on Friday, as traders shifted their focus toward the upcoming December jobs report. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures experienced a slight decline of 0.06%, while the S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq futures both saw a decrease of 0.2%.
Meanwhile, oil prices exhibited an upward trend, with North Sea Brent crude rising by 3.6%, reaching $79.71 per barrel. Similarly, US West Texas Intermediate crude increased by 3.7%, now priced at $76.61 per barrel. As the December jobs report approaches, set to be released at 8:30 am ET, analysts anticipate a growth of approximately 164,000 in nonfarm payrolls, following a robust gain of 227,000 in the previous month.
The unemployment rate is forecasted to hold steady at 4.2%, based on estimates gathered by Bloomberg. In addition, consumer sentiment data, expected at 10 am ET, is projected to remain unchanged at a level of 74.0 in January, indicating steadiness in economic perspectives among consumers..