Futures point to declines in first week of 2024; jobs data on tap
(Reuters) -U.S. stock index futures slipped on Friday and signaled losses for the first week of 2024, ahead of a key jobs report that could test expectations for an early start to the Federal Reserve's easing cycle. The Nasdaq was on course for its worst weekly performance since late September, impacted by rotation out of tech-heavy stocks into defensive sectors like healthcare, financials and utilities. After the recent Fed meeting minutes failed to offer hints on the timeline for monetary easing, traders dialed back rate-cut expectations and now see a 63.8% chance for at least a 25 ba...