Intel (INTC) was up 1.7% before the opening bell, even as the Taiwanese home of its engineer Wei-Jen Lo was raided by authorities in the country amid concerns he may have transferred national security-related technology from his prior employer. Lo previously worked at Taiwan Semiconductor and was brought to Intel by CEO Lip-Bu Tan.
Willis Towers Watson (WTW) rose 0.3% in premarket trade as it was reportedly in advanced talks with NatWest (NWG) (OTCPK:RBSPF) for the acquisition of workplace retirement schemes platform Cushon. The price under negotiation was unclear on Friday.
CME Group (CME) was up 1.4% before the opening bell, as it halted trading across its markets on November 28 due to a cooling issue at CyrusOne data centers. The company resumed trading. The Chicago Mercantile Exchange is the largest derivatives marketplace, with contracts ranging from equities, commodities, Treasuries, currencies, and beyond.
Jefferies (JEF) shares were down 1.6% in premarket trade, as the Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating the firm over its ties with bankrupt car parts supplier First Brands. The SEC is seeking information on whether Jefferies (JEF) gave investors in its Point Bonita fund enough information about their exposure to First Brands.