5 Things to Know Before the Stock Market Opens

Stock futures are pointing to a higher open Monday as markets look to start the first full week of trading of the new year on a strong note; Oil stocks are gaining following the Trump administration’s move to oust Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro; gold and silver prices are rising amid the uncertainty around what will happen next in Venezuela; tech stocks are in focus ahead of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s appearance Monday at the CES consumer electronics trade show; and Comcast shares are down as its spin-off of TV networks—including CNBC and USA Network—is set to debut on the market Monday. Here’s what you need to know today.

Stock Futures Point to Higher Open in Second Session of New Year

Stock futures are higher this morning as the equities market looks to extend its positive start to the new year. The major indexes gained in the first trading session of 2026 on Friday, reversing a streak of declines to end 2025. Futures tied to the S&P 500 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq were recently up 0.3% and 0.7%, respectively, while Dow Jones Industrial Average hovered near unchanged. Oil sector stocks are leading the gainers this morning amid hopes that U.S. companies will benefit from Trump administration moves in Venezuela. (More below) Bitcoin was trading at $92,800, up from an overnight low of around $91,200 and near its highest level in about a month. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which affects borrowing costs on a wide array of loans, slipped to 4.17% from 4.19% at Friday’s close.

Oil Stocks Surge After Trump’s Venezuela Intervention

A number of the biggest U.S. oil and gas stocks are rising Monday amid investor hopes the companies will benefit from the Trump administration’s weekend capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who is now in the U.S. facing drug trafficking charges. President Donald Trump said over the weekend that he wants American oil companies to invest and help rebuild the oil production capacity of Venezuela. However, some experts have said the companies will likely wait to invest until the picture of who will lead the country in the long term is clearer, per The Associated Press. Shares of Chevron (CVX), ConocoPhillips (COP) and ExxonMobil (XOM), along with oilfield drillers and equipment makers such as Haliburton (HAL), Baker Hughes (BKR) and SLB (SLB) are gaining anywhere from 3% to 9% premarket.

Gold, Silver Futures Jump Amid Venezuela Uncertainty

Gold and silver prices are rising as some investors look to put their money into safe-haven assets amid the uncertainty of what could come next in the Trump administration’s interactions with Venezuela. Gold futures were up more than 2% at $4,420 an ounce in recent trading, while silver futures jumped 4.5% to $74.20 per ounce. Gold and silver are approaching the record highs set late last year, when the precious metals rallied amid growing hopes that the Federal Reserve would continue to cut interest rates in 2026. Gold futures most recently set a new record high just above 4,580 on Dec. 26, while silver futures reached $82.67 on Dec. 29.

AI Stocks in Focus Ahead of Nvidia CEO Appearance at CES

Chip giants including Nvidia (NVDA), Intel (INTC), Micron Technology (MU), Broadcom (AVGO) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) are among the tech stocks climbing in premarket trading after posting gains Friday. The hardware and software companies tied the AI boom faced questions to end 2025 around when and how they plan to see a return on the hundreds of billions that are being invested into data centers. Investors will be focused on presentations at the CES consumer electronics trade show in Las Vegas, where Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is scheduled to hold a press conference at 4 p.m. ET Monday.

Comcast Stock Down as TV Spin-Off Versant Set to Debut Today

Investors will be able to evaluate a new media and entertainment stock on Monday, as Comcast (CMCSA) spin-off Versant (VSNTV) is set to debut on the market today. Comcast announced plans in late 2024 to spin off its cable channels including CNBC, MSNBC (since renamed MS NOW), the USA Network, Golf Channel and more. The collection of TV channels was later named Versant, and the company is now set to start trading Monday, with executives ringing the Nasdaq’s opening bell this morning. Comcast shares were down 6% in recent premarket trading.