U.S. stock index futures were little changed on Tuesday evening after the S&P 500 closed at a record high, as stronger-than-expected economic growth data reinforced confidence in the U.S. economy.
S&P 500 Futures were muted at 6,957.75 points, while Nasdaq 100 Futures were steady at to 25,818.00 points by 19:48 ET (00:48 GMT). Dow Jones Futures were also unchanged at 48,743.0 points.
Trading volumes are expected to remain light as markets move through a holiday-shortened week. U.S. stock exchanges will close early at 1 p.m. ET on Wednesday for Christmas Eve and remain closed on Thursday for Christmas Day.
Wall St gains on strong Q3 GDP, Santa Claus rally Wall Street ended the regular session higher. The S&P 500 climbed about 0.5% to a record closing high, supported by gains in technology and growth stocks, while the NASDAQ Composite gained 0.6% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.2%.
Investors took encouragement from data showing the U.S. economy grew at a robust pace in the third quarter. Gross domestic product expanded at an annualised rate of 4.3%, surpassing expectations.
While the strong reading briefly pushed Treasury yields higher, equity markets appeared largely unfazed, with traders viewing the data as backward-looking and unlikely to derail the broader policy outlook.
Markets are also entering the period often referred to as the “Santa Claus rally,” a seasonal phenomenon describing the tendency for U.S. stocks to rise during the final five trading days of December and the first two sessions of January. So far, gains this week have kept that seasonal narrative intact.
Despite the solid growth data, expectations that the Federal Reserve will eventually ease monetary policy remain largely unchanged. Interest-rate futures indicate traders still anticipate rate cuts in 2026 amid a resilient economy and sticky inflation pressures.
