Stock futures pointed to a slight rise at the open for the market to start October after the S&P 500 notched its worst month since March 2020.
Futures for the Dow Jones Industrials hiked 135 points, or 0.4%, to 34,858.
Futures for the S&P 500 picked up 13 points, or 0.3%, to 4,310.75.
Futures for the NASDAQ Composite Index increased 28 points, or 0.2%, to 14,710.50.
The market just capped a tumultuous September as inflation fears, slowing growth and rising rates kept investors on edge. The S&P 500 finished the month down 4.8%, breaking a seven-month winning streak. The Dow sank 4.3% and the NASDAQ fell 5.3%, suffering their worst months of the year.
Shares of Dow member Merck jumped 7% after the drug maker and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics said their oral antiviral treatment for COVID-19 reduced the risk of hospitalization or death by 50% for patients with mild or moderate cases. The companies plan to seek emergency authorization for the treatment.
Shares of Royal Caribbean and Las Vegas Sands added more than 1% in pre-market trading. Southwest Airlines led a gain in airline stocks after JPMorgan upgraded the stock and said most of the group was worth buying for a trade.
Congress was poised to prevent a government shutdown Thursday. The Senate and House of Representatives both passed a short-term appropriations bill that would keep the government running through Dec. 3 and sent it to President Joe Biden to sign.
Overseas, in Japan, the Nikkei 225 skidded 2.3% Friday, while markets in Hong Kong were closed for holiday.
Oil prices hesitated 59 cents to $74.44 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices dipped $4.60 to $1,752.40 U.S. a pound.