Nasdaq, S&P 500 Futures Trade Higher Ahead Of Core PCE: Why NKE, WYFI, LUNR, TLRY Are On Traders' Radar Today

Investors carried over momentum from Thursday’s cooling CPI data.

• Nike (NKE) shares plunged over 10% in pre-market trading following a margin warning, weighing heavily on Dow futures.
• Cannabis and space stocks in the spotlight on fresh policy signals.
• Market participants await the Core PCE Price Index and Existing Home Sales data to cap off the week.
  

U.S. stock futures were trading marginally higher early Friday. Markets are riding a wave of relief following yesterday's "cooler-than-expected" November inflation data (2.7% YoY), which has helped the benchmark indices recover from earlier weakness.

The cooling inflation narrative has reignited hopes for more aggressive Fed easing in early 2026, though today’s Core PCE data remains a critical data point for the week.

Dec. 19 marks the final full trading day of the year's penultimate week. As of 4:00 a.m. ET on Friday, Nasdaq 100 futures were up 0.4%, S&P 500 futures and the Russell 2000 futures rose 0.2%, while Dow futures were flat. 

On Stocktwits, however, retail sentiment toward the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY), an exchange-traded fund that tracks the S&P 500 Index, and that toward the Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) ETF, which tracks the Nasdaq 100 Index, remained ‘bearish’ on Friday, amid high message volumes.

The cryptocurrency market rebounded Thursday night after the Bank of Japan raised interest rates to their highest level in three decades, a move that briefly lifted risk assets despite expectations that tighter policy would pressure prices.

Stocks On Trending Watchlist 

Nike (NKE): Despite an earnings beat, investors are spooked by weak revenue in China and warnings that higher tariffs are beginning to squeeze gross margins.

Intuitive Machines (LUNR) is seeing high interest on Stocktwits after Trump signed an executive order outlining a new US space policy. Watch out for other space-centric stocks as well in trade today (RKLB, RDW). 

WhiteFiber (WYFI) has secured a $865 million AI data centre deal. 

Cannabis stocks will be in focus today after  US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an order directing the loosening of federal regulations on marijuana. This move could further reverse decades of tough-on-weed policy. Watch out for shares of Curaleaf Holdings (CURLF), Trulieve Cannabis (TRUL), Tilray Brands (TLRY), Canopy Growth (CGC), and WEED. 

Key Catalysts To Watch Out For

On the economic front, the November Core PCE Price Index—the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge—will be released at 8:30 AM ET. Additionally, Existing Home Sales for November are scheduled for release at 10:00 AM ET.

Noteworthy names on the earnings calendar for the day include Paychex (PAYX), Carnival (CCL), Conagra (CAG), Lamb Weston (LW), Winnebago (WGO)

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