U.S. Stocks Poised To Kick Off 2026 On Upbeat Note

Market Overview - Stocks are expected to rise in early trading on Friday, with S&P 500 futures up by 0.5 percent after a recent decline [1] - The Nasdaq 100 futures have jumped by 1.0 percent, indicating renewed strength among stocks [2] - Major averages have shown strong annual gains, with the Nasdaq increasing by 20.4 percent, S&P 500 by 16.4 percent, and Dow by 13.0 percent [5] Company-Specific Developments - Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM) shares surged by 2.7 percent in pre-market trading after receiving its annual license from the U.S. government to import equipment to its facilities in China [2] - Major AI companies Nvidia (NVDA) and Palantir Technologies (PLTR) are also experiencing significant pre-market strength following a strong performance last year [2] Economic Context - Trading activity may be subdued due to some traders being away after the New Year's Day holiday, and a lack of major U.S. economic data may keep some traders on the sidelines [3] - The major European markets have also moved higher, with the French CAC 40 Index up by 0.5 percent, the U.K.'s FTSE 100 Index up by 0.4 percent, and the German DAX Index up by 0.3 percent [6]