U.S. Markets Open Slightly Higher, Poised for Quiet Finish to 2021 By

© Reuters.

By Daniel Shvartsman

- Major U.S. indices opened just above flat to start the last day of the year. The S&P 500 opened up .04%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 10 points, up .02%, and the NASDAQ Composite traded up 20 points, or .1%. The small-cap Russell 2000 also opened slightly higher, at .07%.

This comes after a traditional "Santa rally" sort of week, where indices rose nearly a percent through the course of the week on lower volume trading and limited news.

While no major news is anticipated today, investors eyes might fall to any developments on the airline cancellation or Covid fronts. Airline cancellations continued at a high pace today, with over 1,000 flights canceled. Covid cases continue to set all-time highs, and with New Year celebrations in the offing, many officials are bracing for another jump from here. At the same time, the U.K. approved the use of Pavloxid, Pfizer (NYSE:PFE)'s antiviral pill for Covid-19 treatment, for adults, and South Africa took off their curfew requirements.

(Originally published at 9:16am ET, will be updated throughout the day).

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