Stock futures were mixed Friday as investors shifted focus from the Federal Reserve policy meeting earlier in the week to the next piece of economic data due later in the morning.
Futures for the Dow Jones Industrials gained 17 points to 34,741.
The Dow has gained a relatively modest 1.6% this week. Gains have been restricted by a more than 5% tumble in UnitedHealth
Futures for the S&P 500 jumped 6.75 points, or 0.2%, to 4,478. Up nearly 3%, the S&P 500 is on pace to notch its best weekly performance since March.
Futures for the NASDAQ Composite added 52.75 points, or 0.3%, to 15,426.75. The tech-heavy index has gained almost 4% since the start of the week, making it poised for its eighth straight winning week — the tech-heavy index's longest weekly streak since a 10-week period that ended in March 2019.
Virgin Galactic shares surged 40% in extended trading after the company announced its first commercial space tourism flight is slated for the end of this month. Adobe added more than 3% after the technology company beat Wall Street estimates on top and bottom lines in its fiscal second quarter and issued upbeat expectations for current quarter and full-year performance.
Friday's session will likely be busy given the quarterly rebalancing of some indexes and expiration of some options expected to take place.
This so-called quadruple witching can result in a surge of market volatility and trading volume. However, expiration week often tends to be higher during bull markets and lower in bear markets, according to the Stock Trader's Almanac. That may bode well at least for the S&P 500 and NASDAQ Composite, which are posting strong weeks thus far.
Friday also marks the final trading day before a long weekend, with the market closed Monday in observation of Juneteenth.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 tacked on 0.7% Friday, while in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index moved higher 1.1%.
Oil prices progressed 17 cents to $70.79 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices surged $8.40 to $1,979.10. U.S. an ounce.