11:57 AM EST, 01/24/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Wall Street's major market averages were little changed around midday Friday as traders look ahead to the start of the "Big Tech" earnings season next week, including reports from Apple ( AAPL ) , Microsoft ( MSFT ) and Meta Platforms ( META ) .

The pace of US existing home sales rose by 2.2% to a 4.24 million seasonally adjusted annual rate in December from 4.15 million in November, roughly in line with an expected increase to a 4.2 million rate in a survey compiled by Bloomberg, data from the National Association of Realtors showed. Sales were up 9.3% from December 2023, but total sales for 2024 slowed to 4.06 million from 4.09 million in 2023.

The January flash reading of manufacturing conditions from S&P Global rose to 50.1 from 49.4 in December, compared with an expected reading of 49.8 in a survey compiled by Bloomberg, a seven-month high and representing a return to growth. The index for services conditions fell to 52.8 in January from 56.8 in December, compared with expectations for a smaller decline to 56.5.

In corporate news, Novo Nordisk ( NVO ) shares rose 7.4% after it said its phase 1b/2a clinical trial evaluating amycretin, intended as a treatment for obesity and type 2 diabetes, showed positive results.

Texas Instruments ( TXN ) shares dropped 6.7% in recent Friday trading after it reported lower Q4 earnings and revenue late Thursday. The company expects Q1 EPS of $0.94 to $1.16 on revenue of $3.74 billion to $4.06 billion. Analysts polled by FactSet expect EPS of $1.17 on revenue of $3.85 billion.

The Trump administration has withdrawn a proposed ban on menthol-flavored cigarettes and cigars, Bloomberg reported. Shares of British American Tobacco ( BTI ) and Philip Morris International ( PM ) were up around 1%.

Meta Platforms ( META ) Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said Friday the company plans to invest $60 billion to $65 billion in capital expenditures in 2025. The company's shares were up 1.5%.

Twilio ( TWLO ) shares rose 22% in recent Friday trading after it said Thursday it expects Q4 2024 non-GAAP diluted earnings to be above its guidance range and to report an 11% year-over-year increase in Q4 revenue. The company also said its board approved a $2 billion share buyback program after previously authorized share repurchase programs expired at the end of 2024.

Price: 223.29, Change: -0.37, Percent Change: -0.17