Wall Street Set to Open Higher Thursday as Investors Parse GDP, Unemployment Data, Look Ahead to Inflation Report

09:25 AM EST, 01/22/2026 (MT Newswires) -- US stocks look set to open higher in Thursday's trading session as investors parse gross domestic product and unemployment figures released earlier in the morning, and look ahead to inflation and oil inventory figures coming out later in the day.

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were up 0.5%, S&P 500 futures were rising 0.7%, and Nasdaq futures were tracking 1% higher.

Oil prices were moving sharply lower, with front-month global benchmarks North Sea Brent crude down 1.2% at $64.48 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude dropping 1.2% at $59.89 per barrel.

In other world markets, Japan's Nikkei climbed 1.7%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng was up 0.2%, and China's Shanghai Composite gained 0.1%. Meanwhile in Europe's early afternoon session, the UK's FTSE 100 rose 0.5%, Germany's DAX was up 1.2%, France's CAC 40 was up 1.1%, and Spain's IBEX was up 0.9%.

The US Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that annualized Q3 GDP growth was 4.4%, while analysts surveyed by Bloomberg expected that figure to remain unchanged from a previous estimate at 4.3%.

Weekly initial jobless claims increased by 1,000 to 200,000, according to the US Department of Labor. Analysts were expecting that figure to rise to 209,000, according to Bloomberg.

Core personal consumption expenditures for November, which exclude food and energy prices, will be announced at 10:00 am ET. Analysts forecast annual core inflation of 2.8%, according to Bloomberg.

And at 12 pm ET, the US Energy Information Administration will release crude oil inventories. Analysts polled by Bloomberg are calling for a decline of 1 million barrels, compared with last week's gain of about 3.4 million barrels.

In equities, shares of technology company iOThree (IOTR) soared 123%, adding to a 12% gain the previous session. 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals' (SXTP) shares jumped 191%, following a slight loss on Wednesday. Shares of biopharmaceutical company Greenwich LifeSciences (GLSI) surged 23% after it said Thursday that the US Food and Drug Administration approved the use of its first commercially manufactured lot of GP2 vials in the Flamingo-01 Phase 3 clinical trial to treat breast cancer relapses.

N2OFF (NITO) shares advanced 16% after it said Thursday that its MitoCareX Bio unit reported preliminary in vitro data that demonstrates inhibition of pro-inflammatory responses in human immune cells using its proprietary discovery platform. High Roller Technologies (ROLR) shares rose 24% after it reported late Wednesday that it closed a registered direct offering of about 1.9 million shares at $13.21 each to raise roughly $25 million.

On the losing side, shares of payroll outsourcing company Galaxy Payroll Group (GLXG) tumbled 20%, adding to Wednesday's 12% loss. Shares of fintech firm Pineapple Financial (PAPL) dropped 14%, after surging 45% Wednesday. Digital health company Pulsenmore's (PLSM) stock was down 17%, a day after it began trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market. Namib Minerals (NAMM) shares fell 12%, after soaring 131% the previous session.

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