5 Things to Know Before the Stock Market Opens on December 22, 2025

Markets brace for volatility as traditional finance grapples with its own complexity—meanwhile, digital assets keep trading 24/7.

1. The Pre-Market Pulse

Futures are hinting at direction, but the real action often happens before the bell. Five key signals cut through the morning noise.

2. Overnight Moves & Global Catalysts

Asian and European sessions have already written the prologue. Their closing numbers set the stage for Wall Street's opening chapter.

3. Earnings Spotlight

Which companies are reporting today? Their numbers—beats or misses—bypass analyst forecasts and directly move prices.

4. The Macro Data Dump

Scheduled economic releases act as sudden gravity wells, pulling sectors into their orbit. Today's calendar dictates the narrative.

5. The Sentiment Gauge

Fear, greed, or sheer confusion? Market mood often trumps fundamentals in the short run, a truth as old as trading itself.

Remember, while traditional markets fuss over opening bells and closing auctions, a parallel financial system hums along without permission. It never closes, rarely asks for a bailout, and somehow still gets called the 'risky' one.

Stocks Futures Rise to Kick Off Holiday-Shortened Trading Week

Stock futures are pointing to a higher open at the start of a trading week that will be abbreviated due to the Christmas holiday. Futures tied to the benchmark S&P and the tech-focused Nasdaq were recently up 0.4% and 0.7%, respectively, as tech stocks gained ground, while Dow Jones Industrial Average futures tacked on 0.1%. The major indexes are coming off of two consecutive days of big gains, fueled by a rally in tech stocks following a recent slump amid concerns about a possible AI bubble. Bitcoin was trading at $90,100 this morning, up from a low over the weekend below $88,000. Crude oil futures and gold futures jumped more than 2% and 1%, respectively. (See more below) The yield on the 10-year Treasury note was at 4.17%, up from 4.15% at Friday's close.

Gold and Silver Prices Hit Record Highs

The prices of precious metals jumped to record highs this morning amid hopes that the Federal Reserve could be in a position to continue cutting rates next year. Gold futures surged above $4,400 an ounce for the first time and were trading at $4,445 recently, up 1.3% from Friday's close. Silver futures were up 2.2% at $69 an ounce. Inflation data released last Thursday came in cooler than expected, and Fed officials will be looking for more signs of easing inflationary pressure as they weigh the possibility of rate cuts in the coming months. The price of gold has surged nearly 70% since the start of this year, while silver has more than doubled. The precious metals are typically seen as SAFE investments when things like inflation, trade tensions or the potential for global conflict create uncertainty that can make stocks and other investments more volatile.

Coast Guard Reportedly Pursuing Another Venezuelan Oil Tanker

Oil futures are sharply higher Monday morning as the the U.S. is reportedly ramping up its pressure campaign on Venezuelan oil. The Wall Street Journal reported late Sunday that the Coast Guard was pursuing another oil tanker shipping oil out of the South American country. The TRUMP administration has already seized two tankers from Venezuela in recent weeks, saying that the tankers were operating under a false flag to conceal their true country of origin. The tanker currently being pursued by the Coast Guard is part of a "dark fleet" of oil tankers that have previously been sanctioned by the U.S. or one of its allies, but are still operating with a false flag, the Journal reported. The seizure of the tankers is helping to drive crude oil prices higher, as anything that can limit the supply of oil on the market can send prices higher. WTI futures, the U.S. crude oil benchmark, were up 2.1% at $57.70 per barrel in recent trading.

Delaware Supreme Court Overrules Lower Court That Axed Musk Pay Package

Tesla (TSLA) has won its yearslong legal battle over CEO Elon Musk's 2018 pay package, with the Delaware Supreme Court saying late Friday that a lower court decision revoking the package was incorrect. Tesla gave Musk the package in 2018, made up of potential stock awards that were valued at $2.3 billion and have since grown as Tesla's stock price has surged, making the package worth about $139 billion, per The Wall Street Journal. The Delaware Court of Chancery previously ruled in favor of a shareholder that said the package was invalid because it was created and granted with too much influence from Musk. The EV Maker has said an ambitious pay plan is needed to keep Musk's attention at Tesla over his other companies, which is why it recently gave him a new shareholder-approved deal that could put Musk on track to eventually become a trillionaire. Tesla shares were up more than 1% ahead of the opening bell.

Clearwater Analytics Pops on Deal To Be Taken Private

Shares of Clearwater Analytics (CWAN) jumped Monday morning after the company announced an $8.4 billion deal to be acquired and taken private by an investor group led by private equity firms Permira and Warburg Pincus. Clearwater shareholders will get $24.55 per share, a premium of about 10% from the stock's $22.25 closing price on Friday and 47% compared to Nov. 10, just before shares started to surge following reports of a potential deal. Clearwater, a maker of financial services software, said the deal includes a "go-shop" period where it will be able to entertain any other offers for the next month, and that the deal is expected to close in the first half of next year if no other deal is made. Clearwater shares were up 8.5% at $24.15 in recent premarket trading.