WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - U.S. stocks look set to open a tad higher on Friday as trading resumes after the Thanksgiving holiday. It's going to be another quiet session as markets will have a shortened trading session to help traders enjoy Thanksgiving celebrations.
With bond yields moving up on optimism about Donald Trump's plans for the economy and the dollar hovering near 13-year highs in holiday-thinned trade, the underlying mood still remains bullish. Retailers could be in focus as early data showed Black Friday shopping kicked off on a strong note.
Merger and acquisition deals are also back on the radar as the Bloomberg reported that Johnson & Johnson is considering a potential takeover of the Swiss biotech firm Actelion.
Oil prices are retreating ahead of next week's OPEC meeting while gold extended losses to hit a fresh nine-month low, on track for a third consecutive weekly decline.
Earlier in the day, Asian stocks closed mostly higher despite a lack of cues from the U.S. markets. Japan's Nikkei index hit a 10-month high before paring early gains as the dollar fell against the yen in late trading.
A government report showed today that Japan's consumer inflation extended its fall for the 8th consecutive month this year, the longest streak of declines since 2009-2011, keeping policymakers under pressure to do more to stimulate the economy.
European stocks edged lower in early trade, but remained on track for a third straight week of gains.
U.K. economic growth eased as estimated in the third quarter, the second estimate from the Office for National Statistics showed today. Both the sequential growth rate and the annual rate were left unrevised at 0.5 percent and 2.3 percent, respectively.
Euro-area finance ministers will be meeting International Monetary Fund (IMF) negotiators today in an effort to reach an agreement on Greece bailout talks. Greece and its creditors are aiming for a new agreement on fiscal reform by December 5.
Meanwhile, after Brexit and the election of Donald Trump, investors are now waiting to see whether Italy's Dec. 4 constitutional referendum will go against the ruling party.
Closer home, the day's economic calendar remains light, with advance trade goods balance data and a preliminary reading on the Markit services purchasing managers index slated for release later in the session.
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