Preview of US Stock Market | The three major stock index futures are mixed, investors are paying attention to whether the "Santa Claus rally" will continue.

1. Before the opening of the US stock market on Friday, the futures of the three major US stock indexes varied. As of the time of writing, the Dow Jones futures were down 0.19%, S&P 500 index futures were up 0.02%, and Nasdaq futures were up 0.10%. 2. As of the time of writing, the German DAX index rose 0.23%, the UK FTSE 100 index fell 0.19%, the French CAC40 index fell slightly, and the European Stoxx 50 index rose 0.10%. 3. As of the time of writing, WTI crude oil rose 0.15% to $58.44 per barrel. Brent crude oil rose 0.02% to $62.25 per barrel. Market News Two days before Christmas, the US stock market saw both indexes hit new highs, with investors focusing on whether the "Santa Claus rally" will continue. The US stock market was closed on Thursday for Christmas, and Wednesday's trading activity was light. With the upcoming shortened trading week due to the New Year holiday, market trading volume is expected to remain low. Earlier this week, boosted by better-than-expected US third-quarter economic growth, the S&P 500 index closed at 6932.05 points on Wednesday, a record high; the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 48731.16 points, also setting a new record for the blue-chip index; the Nasdaq Composite Index closed at 23,613.31 points, mainly driven by strong performance from leading artificial intelligence companies. As markets return to normal trading on Friday, investors will focus on economic data for guidance. Trading may remain calm in the backdrop of low trading volume, but the market is watching to see if the "Santa Claus rally" will continue. Wall Street sings in unison: US stocks in 2026! With AI and rate cuts resonating, there is hope for four consecutive years of gains, but high consensus may be a hidden concern. As the end of the year approaches, institutions' forecasts for the US stock market in 2026 have been mostly released. Wall Street's target points for the S&P 500 index in 2026 are concentrated in the range of 7100-8100, with an average target point of 7490, representing about an 8% increase from Wednesday's closing point. In a year with a high probability of US stock gains, if the trend in US stocks in 2026 matches the forecasts, it will be the fourth consecutive year of gains. Wall Street generally expects that the AI boom and Fed rate cuts will drive the S&P 500 Index to continue to rise, with corporate profit growth also supporting the rise of US stocks. However, they also warn that inflation, high valuations, and trade tensions may still trigger market corrections. In addition, Wall Street also predicts that global economic growth in 2026 will have resilience. Ed Yardeni predicts the "Roaring Twenties": Gold and the S&P 500 index will both soar to 10,000 points. Wall Street veteran Ed Yardeni has been one of the most optimistic market narratives of the past decade - an early advocate of the "Roaring Twenties". He believes that this era will be driven by economic resilience, strong corporate earnings, and productivity gains associated with the digital revolution and artificial intelligence. In a recent interview, Yardeni reiterated his two major predictions: the S&P 500 index will reach 7700 points in 2026 and 10,000 points in 2029. But what is more noteworthy is his parallel prediction: the price of gold may also reach $10,000 per ounce by the end of this decade.