01:02 PM EST, 11/29/2024 (MT Newswires) -- US benchmark equity indexes ended higher Friday as traders returned from the Thanksgiving holiday for a shortened trading session on Wall Street.

* The Federal Reserve Board approved the United Bankshares' ( UBSI ) proposed acquisition of Piedmont Bancorp and its Piedmont Bank subsidiary. The Fed said in its order that the merger would not have a significant adverse impact on competition.

* January West Texas Intermediate crude oil closed down $0.06 to settle at $68.66 per barrel, while January Brent crude, the global benchmark, was last seen down $0.22 to $73.06.

* Symbotic ( SYM ) shares jumped 11% in the first trading session after the stock plunged on the company's submission of a late filing for its annual report for the fiscal year ending Sept. 28 over a revenue recognition error.

* Grifols ( GRFS ) shares plunged 13% after Bloomberg reported Thursday that it is in discussions with banks to extend a $1 billion revolving credit facility and refinance 370 million euros ($390.3 million) in bonds due 2025.