U.S. Stock Futures Surge to Kick Off 2026, AI Optimism and Tariff Delays Fuel Early Gains

U.S. stock futures are showing significant upward momentum this Friday, January 2nd, 2026, signaling a strong start to the new trading year after a holiday-shortened week. Investors are returning with renewed optimism, particularly around artificial intelligence (AI) advancements and recent policy decisions, aiming to reverse a four-session losing streak that concluded 2025. All major U.S. index futures are trading higher in premarket activity, with technology-heavy Nasdaq 100 futures leading the charge.Pre ...