5 important points to understand before the stock market opens on Friday

Here are five key points for investors as they begin trading:

The S&P 500 remains below its all-time high despite a modest gain on Thursday. Futures tied to various market indexes showed a gain of 0.2% in pre-market trading on Friday, suggesting potential new highs. This follows a strong rebound from the low tariffs seen in early April, with the S&P seeing over a 23% increase in less than three months. By Thursday’s close, it was up 0.1% from its previous records. Stay tuned for live market updates.

Nike shoes are available at King in the Prussian Mall. The global market faced challenges due to trade issues following President Donald Trump’s imposition of import tariffs on various countries as of April 3, 2025. CFO Matt Friend highlighted that these tariffs will raise Nike’s costs by around $1 billion in the short term. However, he noted that the company plans to mitigate these rising costs over time through price increases and adjustments in their supply chain. Following their fourth-quarter report, Nike’s shares rose nearly 9% in pre-market trading.

The White House announced there may be an extension on the deadline set for July 8 for nine countries to strike trade agreements in order to avoid increased tariffs, according to comments from press secretary Karoline Leavitt. The established 90-day period from April—originally intended to pause “mutual tariffs”—was described as “not critical.” This easing of limits offers the hope of avoiding further trade disruptions similar to those seen this past spring. Additionally, China’s Commerce Department confirmed details of an agreement with the U.S. regarding rare earth exports and technology restrictions.

Elon Musk recently terminated Omead Afshar, the Vice President of Manufacturing and Operations at Tesla. This change comes amid declining sales in major markets, along with the recent resignation of Milano Cobac, who previously headed Tesla’s Humanoid Robotics Program to spend more time with family.

Pixar’s “Elio” struggled at the box office, highlighting a broader challenge for original films in Hollywood. There’s been a noticeable trend towards franchises and sequels dominating audience preferences, as highlighted by TD Cowen analyst Doug Creutz. He has pointed out that there seems to be a significant gap in the success of original stories compared to established intellectual properties. This presents a potential issue for studios hoping to expand their creative portfolios.