US futures trade mixed after stocks hit record highs, while bitcoin continues to slide

US futures trade mixed after stocks hit record highs, while bitcoin continues to slide

US stock futures were mixed Friday after the S&P 500 and Nasdaq hit record highs the previous day, as investors became more optimistic about the economic outlook. Elsewhere, however, fell for the fifth day in a row. It traded at around $56,878, well below a record high of above $68,000 touched just over a week ago. were down 0.1%, and slipped 0.33%, signaling a downbeat start to trading later in the day. Meanwhile, were 0.35% higher. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq both finished at new highs Thursday, as corporate earnings continued to impress investors and a fall in weekly jobless claims cooled fears about the US economy. Overnight, China's closed 1.08% higher, while Japan's climbed 0.5%. In the early going Friday, Europe's continent-wide slipped 0.14%. Cases of COVID-19 are surging in Europe, and Austria said Friday it will go into on Monday and introduce compulsory vaccinations. Global stocks have remained buoyant despite investors' worries about surging inflation and the likelihood that central banks will soon cut back on their support for economies. This is in part because bond yields have stayed low, making the equity market look more attractive. Earnings season has helped support US stocks in particular. on