Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on the first trading day of 2024 on January 02, 2024 in New York City. Futures tied to the S&P 500 inched lower by 0.12%. Dow futures hovered near the flatline, while Nasdaq 100 futures slipped 0.21%. Unemployment data, along with the Fed's half-point rate cut on Wednesday, seemed to bolster investors' sentiment. The three major averages are on pace for weekly gains, with the S&P 500 up nearly 1.6% through Thursday's close.

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Persons: John Donahoe, Stocks, Dow, Chris Larkin, Morgan Stanley Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, Stock, Dow Jones, Federal, Dow, Nasdaq, Shipping behemoth FedEx, Nike Locations: New York City, Thursday's