U.S. stock index futures climbed on Monday amid signs of progress in Washington to end the record-long government shutdown that has stalled economic data releases and raised concerns about the economy.
On Sunday, senators advanced a House-passed bill to fund the government until January 30. If approved by the Senate, the measure must still pass the House and receive President Donald Trump’s signature, a process that could take several days.
Bob Savage, head of markets macro strategy at BNY, said, “If the U.S. government reopens smoothly and the Fed signals readiness to stabilise liquidity, risk appetite could recover, particularly in quality growth and AI-linked productivity stocks.”
READ ALSO: Stock Market Opens Week in Red, Sheds 0.25% Amid Trump’s Threat to Nigeria
Wall Street ended last week sharply lower, with the Nasdaq suffering its worst weekly decline in over seven months due to concerns about the labour market and tech valuations.
At 07:00 a.m. ET, Dow E-minis were up 213 points (0.45%), S&P 500 E-minis gained 65.25 points (0.97%), and Nasdaq 100 E-minis rose 378.25 points (1.49%). The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) eased 0.44 points to 18.64.
The shutdown has left the Federal Reserve and traders without official economic data, relying instead on private indicators that provide a mixed view of the labour market. White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett warned that fourth-quarter U.S. growth could turn negative if the closure persists. Betting markets show an 86% probability that the shutdown ends this week.
Tech stocks led premarket gains, with Nvidia up 3.2%, Alphabet +2.1%, Meta +1.7%, Qualcomm +1.6%, Intel +2.1%, Broadcom +2.7%, and Micron Technology +5.2%.
READ ALSO: Thomas Wyatt, Premier Paints Among Bottom 10 Stocks Flouting NGX’s Post-listing Requirement
AI optimism has fuelled U.S. stock gains this year, though last week’s tech sell-off reflected concerns over monetisation and sector spending.
The Q3 earnings season is nearing its end, with 83% of the 446 S&P 500 companies reporting results beating expectations. Venture Global surged 7.4% after reporting a Q3 profit. Conversely, Metsera fell 15% after Pfizer acquired it for $10 billion.
Health insurers dropped after President Trump urged redirecting federal ACA funds to individuals rather than insurers, with Centene down 8.2% and UnitedHealth losing 1.8%.
Esther Ososanya is an investigative journalist with Pinnacle Daily, reporting across health, business, environment, metro, Fct and crime. Known for her bold, empathetic storytelling, she uncovers hidden truths, challenges broken systems, and gives voice to overlooked Nigerians. Her work drives national conversations and demands accountability one powerful story at a time.