Jobless claims data on tap
U.S. stock markets look likely to open slightly higher on Thursday, as traders aim to end the year on a positive note despite lingering concerns about the Omicron Covid-19 variant.
As of 5:10 a.m. ET, the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 futures rose 32.5 points, or 0.2% to 16,523. Dow Jones futures and S&P 500 futures were up 2 points and 3.5 points, respectively.
Today’s major economic data is the weekly report on initial unemployment claims.
The data, which will be released by the Labor Department at 8:30 a.m. ET, is expected to show claims, for the week ended Dec. 25 rose slightly to 206,000 from 205,000 during the previous week.
Didi shares slump as revenue slides due to Beijing crackdown
Shares of Didi Global (NYSE: DIDI) were under pressure early Thursday after the Chinese ride-hailing app posted a 1.7% fall in third-quarter revenue following a fierce crackdown by Beijing officials.
For the three months ended September 30, Didi had revenue of 42.7 billion yuan ($6.71 billion), down from 43.4 billion yuan in the same period last year.
Didi raised $4.4 billion in its market debut on June 30. However, in the days after the IPO, Chinese regulators barred the company from signing up new users and launched a cybersecurity investigation into its practices.
The regulators also ordered app stores in the country to remove 25 apps operated by Didi, including those that sign up new drivers.
U.S.-listed shares of Didi were marked 26 cents, or 5.26% to $4.68 apiece in the premarket trading session.
Biogen tumbles after Samsung says it has no interest in buying the company
Biogen (NASDAQ: BIIB) stock took a dip in premarket trading after Samsung BioLogics, a biotech unit of Samsung Group, denied rumored interest in the U.S.-based drugmaker.
On Wednesday, a South Korean newspaper reported that Samsung Group was in talks to acquire Biogen.
The newspaper, citing anonymous investment banking sources, said that Samsung is in talks to buy the drugmaker. As per the report, the deal could value Biogen at $42 billion.
But Samsung BioLogics later denied the report, pushing Biogen stock down $15.65, or 6.06% to $242.66 per share before the opening bell.
The unit said in a regulatory statement that the report was “not true,” without providing any further details.
