Stock market today: Nasdaq, S&P 500, Dow rise as Wall Street counts chances of a 'Santa Claus' rally

Group 1 - The Nasdaq led US stock futures higher, with the Nasdaq 100 contracts up 0.5% and S&P 500 contracts up 0.3%, indicating a positive sentiment as Wall Street anticipates a "Santa Claus rally" [1] - A recovery in tech stocks is driving the upbeat mood, particularly influenced by positive news from Oracle and Nvidia, alleviating previous concerns about high valuations and debt related to AI initiatives [2] - Investors are assessing whether AI stocks can maintain their momentum, with major indices within 3% of record highs, supported by a surprise drop in inflation and moderate labor market data [3]