US benchmark equity indexes ended mixed Friday as markets awaited the Federal Reserve's monetary policy decision due next week. * The odds of the Federal Open Market Committee lowering interest rates by 25 basis points next week reached 97% Friday, up from 86% a week earlier, as indicated by the CME FedWatch tool. * Import prices rose by 0.1% in November, surpassing the expected 0.2% decline in a survey compiled by Bloomberg, and were up 0.2% excluding a 0.4% gain in petroleum prices, exceeding expectations for a flat reading.
Export prices remained flat in November, better than the projected 0.3% decline, with a 0.1% increase excluding a 0.4% drop in agricultural prices. * January West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures closed up $1.27, settling at $71.29 per barrel, while February Brent crude, the global benchmark, was last seen up $1.12 at $74.53 due to expectations of new sanctions on Russian exports. * Broadcom ($AVGO) shares surged nearly 24% after the chipmaker announced stronger-than-expected fiscal Q4 earnings late Thursday. * Under Armour's ($UAA) class A shares fell 7.8% during afternoon trading.
The sportswear company's turnaround initiatives are generally encouraging, but visibility into forward growth remains limited at this stage, according to Truist Securities in a note to clients..