🔔 Before the Bell: U.S. stock futures are lower at the start of December, with Dow futures down 0.5%, S&P 500 futures off 0.6%, and Nasdaq 100 futures weaker by 0.7%, reflecting caution around stretched AI valuations and uncertainty over a potential Fed rate cut later this month. Even so, the S&P 500 is still up about 16% year-to-date, and December has historically been one of the stronger months for the index.

Consumer activity showed resilience as Black Friday online spending rose 9.1% to a record $11.8 billion, supported by AI-driven shopping tools, despite consumer confidence sitting at a seven-month low.

In commodities, Brent crude climbs nearly 2% to $63.57, and WTI rises about 2.1% to $59.76 after OPEC+ confirmed it will hold production steady into early 2026, and Russian export infrastructure faced disruptions. ▶️ 3-Min Market Update