U.S. weekly jobless claims and an update of the U.S. Drought Monitor are set for 7:30 a.m. CST, followed by U.S. existing home sales for December at 9 a.m., weekly natural gas storage at 9:30 a.m. and weekly U.S. energy inventories at 10 a.m. USDA's weekly export sales report will be released Friday morning, due to this week's holiday.
Weather
A strong cold front on the leading edge of arctic air continues to push southeast through the country on Thursday. A band of rain and snow is accompanying the front from the Southeast up the East Coast. Cold air has settled into the middle of the country but not for long. Another system moving through the Pacific Northwest and western Canada will start to bring showers into the Prairies and Northern Plains later today and tonight as temperatures moderate a bit.