U.S. stock-index futures advanced on Thursday, following the first losses of 2018 recorded by the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq the day before. Investors are now mulling their next moves, while awaiting the fourth quarter earnings season, which will begin tomorrow with releases from financial heavyweights JPMorgan Chase (JPM) and Wells Fargo (WFC).

Global Stocks:

Nikkei 23,710.43 -77.77 -0.33%

Hang Seng 31,120.39 +46.67 +0.15%

Shanghai 3,425.57 +3.74 +0.11%

S&P/ASX 6,067.60 -29.10 -0.48%

FTSE 7,747.23 -1.28 -0.02%

CAC 5,494.59 -10.09 -0.18%

DAX 13,211.92 -69.42 -0.52%

Crude $63.86 (+0.46%)

Gold $1,321.50 (+0.17%)