US stocks are seen opening higher after the New Year break and the market will be keen to see if the successful rally seen in 2017 will permeate through into 2018.
Wall Street closed out last year negatively but it was still a record-breaking year on the markets.
Here are the stocks that are in play in pre-market deals before the bell. Tech giant Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) shares nudged up 0.43% before the bell to USD$ 169.96.
Apple is offering discounts on battery replacements after coming under scrutiny for slowing down older iPhones. @RebeccaJarvis has some advice on how to extend your phone's battery life. pic.twitter.com/VPw99u4CgM
— Good Morning America (@GMA) 2 January 2018
It comes as it is now going to offer phone owners US$29 replacement batteries immediately, a month earlier than planned after it admitted that iOS software may slow down older iPhones.
Drugs and pharma behemoth Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) shares dropped 0.23% to US$139.40 after the share was downgraded to 'neutral' from 'overweight' at broker heavyweight JPMorgan Chase.
The investment bank sees more upside potential in other large-cap names.
Lennar Corp (NYSE:LEN) shares dropped 0.89% to US$63.24 as the home builder upgraded the stock to 'outperform' from 'market perform', citing both tax law changes and prospects for improved profits from its planned purchase of CalAtlantic.
Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) added 2.91% to US$58.73 after hours as the rugmaker was upgraded to "overweight" from "neutral" at JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley.
On the downside, Wynn Resorts Ltd (NASDAQ:WYNN) fell 2.96% to US$163.60. It comes as Mackenzie Financial Corp reduced its stake in the group by 37.3% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing.