5 things you should know before the stock market opens on Friday, December 6th

Here are five important things investors need to know heading into the trading day:

Stocks fell on Thursday, diverging from the records hit by major indexes in the previous trading session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 248.33 points, or 0.55%, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.18% and the S&P 500 slipped 0.19%. Bitcoin, meanwhile, also traded slightly lower, falling below $100,000 after climbing above that level for the first time late Wednesday. Follow live market updates.

It’s the first Friday in December, which means it’s time for the Labor Department’s nonfarm payroll report. Investors will be watching to see whether the jobs report provides a clearer picture of the labor market after a month marked by strikes and storms. Friday’s report is expected to show a gain of 214,000 jobs in November, a significant increase from October’s disappointing gain of 12,000. It will also give the Federal Reserve a signal on the economy ahead of its next monetary policy meeting.

Shares of Ulta And Lululemon exploded after the companies reported earnings that beat Wall Street’s expectations for revenue and profit. Ulta also slightly raised its full-year outlook as the beauty retailer fended off fears that the company faces increasing competition and slowing demand for makeup and skin care. Lululemon, meanwhile, offered holiday guidance that was in line with expectations, as the yoga pants retailer expressed some caution about the company’s fourth-quarter outlook.

A federal judge refused BoeingThe U.S. Department of Justice’s settlement related to two crashes of its 737 Max aircraft, citing concerns about the Justice Department’s diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Boeing agreed in July to plead guilty to a fraud charge and pay a $243.6 million fine after the Justice Department said the manufacturer violated an earlier agreement. Lawyers for the victims’ family members had criticized the plea deal and wanted more say in selecting an observer to oversee the company.

President-elect Donald Trump has appointed an artificial intelligence and crypto “tsar.” In a social media post Thursday, he chose venture investor and podcaster David Sacks for the role, noting that Sacks would “keep us away from Big Tech’s bias and censorship.” It was a sign that Trump is rewarding prominent tech tycoons who have supported his campaign. Sacks had been a major donor to Trump during his 2024 campaign, despite criticizing him after the Capitol riot on January 6.

— CNBC’s Lisa Kailai Han, Pia Singh, Jeff Cox, Leslie Josephs, Melissa Repko, Gabrielle Fonrouge and Kif Leswing contributed to this report.