08:07 AM EST, 01/17/2025 (MT Newswires) -- US equity futures advanced before the opening bell Friday ahead of reports on housing starts and industrial production that are expected to show modest improvements.

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures edged up 0.5%, while S&P 500 futures increased 0.5%, and Nasdaq futures moved ahead 0.5% in advance of the last trading before the long weekend coinciding with the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump.

Oil prices were lower, with the front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude down 0.4% to $80.97 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude down 0.3% at $77.65 per barrel.

December housing start numbers culled from Census Bureau, Department of Commerce, and Housing & Urban Development data are expected to increase to a 1.320 million annualized rate, up from a 1.289 million in November. Housing permits are expected to increase to 1.505 million, up from 1.450 million a month earlier.

The Federal Reserve's December index of industrial production is expected to show a modest increase of 0.3%, with manufacturing seen to bounce 0.4 percent, after several weak months. Capacity utilization is seen to grow 77.0%, up from an unexpectedly low 76.8 percent in November.