5 Things to Know Before the Stock Market Opens in 2026

Wall Street's morning coffee just got a crypto-infused kick. While traditional markets prep their opening bells, digital assets are already running the pre-market marathon—and leaving some legacy tickers in the dust.

The Decoupling Dance

Forget the old playbook. Bitcoin's moving to its own beat, shrugging off macro tremors that used to send it tumbling. Correlation? That's so 2023.

Institutional On-Ramps Multiply

BlackRock isn't just dipping a toe anymore—it's building bridges. Spot ETFs were the gateway. Now, pension funds and sovereign wealth vehicles are mapping their routes in.

Regulation: The Double-Edged Sword

Global watchdogs are carving their lanes. The EU's MiCA provides a blueprint, while the U.S. plays a high-stakes game of regulatory chicken. Clarity cuts through uncertainty, but overreach stifles the very innovation it claims to protect.

The DeFi Shadow Market

Why wait for a 9:30 AM open? Decentralized exchanges never close. Automated market makers and lending protocols are executing trades while Wall Street sleeps, proving liquidity doesn't need a brick-and-mortar address.

Narrative is the New Merger

A.I. agents managing crypto portfolios. Real-world assets tokenizing everything from real estate to royalties. The narratives driving crypto aren't just tech—they're fundamental shifts in value creation and ownership. The stock market reacts to earnings; crypto prices in paradigm shifts.

So, as traders scan pre-market futures, a silent, global market has been pricing in the future all night. The real question isn't what the S&P will do at the open—it's whether your portfolio is still playing checkers while the digital economy plays 4D chess. After all, in traditional finance, 'innovation' often just means a new fee structure.

Stock Futures Up Slightly as Traders Await Jobs Report, Scotus Ruling

Stock futures are ticking higher as investors await a pair of big pieces of news—the December jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and a potential Supreme Court ruling on tariffs. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 were recently up 0.1% while Nasdaq futures added 0.2%. On Thursday, the major indexes ended mixed, as defense stocks surged after President Donald Trump said military spending is set to increase, while shares of data storage companies dropped after a recent rally. WTI crude oil futures were up nearly 1% this morning at around $58.25 per barrel, while gold futures rose 0.4% to $4,480 an ounce. bitcoin was down slightly at $90,300, losing ground for the fourth straight day. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which affects a wide range of consumer borrowing costs, was holding steady at 4.18%.

December Jobs Report Due This Morning

The highly anticipated monthly employment report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics will provide an important snapshot on the health of the economy. Economists expect that the report, due at 8:30 am. ET, will show that U.S. employers added about 73,000 jobs last month, an uptick from the November figure. The unemployment rate for December is expected to come in at 4.5%, down from the previous month's 4.6%, which was the highest rate in four years. The U.S. labor market has weakened substantially over the past year, leading the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates at each of its last three policy meetings. The economy added 17,000 jobs per month on average between May and November, compared to 147,000 per month in the 12 months leading up to President Trump's April tariff plan announcement. Payroll and human resources firm ADP said earlier this week that private payrolls ROSE 41,000 in December, which was less than economists expected.

Potential Supreme Court Ruling on Tariffs Coming

Investors will also be closely watching news coming out of the Supreme Court. The high court is expected to release opinions starting at 10 a.m. ET, and there's a chance that the case involving the Trump administration's tariffs will be one of those rulings. Analysts are unsure of what the immediate impact of a ruling could be due to the range of possible outcomes—from a total strike-down of the tariffs to narrowing their scope, or simply allowing them to remain in place. The court heard arguments in November over whether Trump had the power to implement the tariffs by using a national emergency declaration, and seemed skeptical about if that was the case. A wide range of companies, including Costco Wholesale (COST), have sued the Trump administration to demand a refund for tariffs they have already paid to import products, arguing that the levies were illegal to begin with.

Glencore, Rio Tinto Restart Merger Talks to Create Mining Behemoth

Glencore and Rio Tinto (RIO) have restarted talks over a potential merger that WOULD create the largest mining company in the world. The companies confirmed that talks were back on in separate statements, and said that no deal is certain. Rio Tinto, the larger of the two companies, has until Feb. 5 to announce intentions to acquire Glencore, or decide that it will not pursue an offer, the companies said. Previous talks between the two companies fell apart in late 2024 over concerns regarding the deal's valuation and what to do with Glencore's coal mines, according to CNBC. Rio Tinto's U.S.-listed shares were down 3% in recent premarket trading, while Glencore stock in London popped nearly 10% on the news.

GM Set to Take $6B Hit From Pivot Away From EVs

Another Detroit automotive giant is pivoting away from electric vehicles, and expects to pay a heavy price to do so. General Motors (GM) said in a regulatory filing on Thursday that it expects to take on $6 billion in impairment charges for the final quarter of 2025 as it shifts its priorities away from EVs. Last month, Ford (F) made a similar announcement, saying it would shift focus back to internal combustion and hybrid vehicles amid lagging consumer demand for EVs, and announcing $19.5 billion in charges through the end of 2027. GM executives will likely give more details on the result of its review of EV assets when the automaker reports fourth-quarter earnings on Jan. 27. GM shares were down 2% ahead of the opening bell Friday.