Stock futures traded deep in the red early Monday as enthusiasm over a coronavirus stimulus deal was overwhelmed by worries over a viral new COVID strain in the U.K.
Futures for the Dow Jones Industrials sank 475 points, or 1.6%, at 29,638.
Futures for the S&P 500 dumped 67 points, or 1.8%, at 2,639.25.
Futures for the NASDAQ Composite swooned 140.25 points, or 1.1%, to 12,572.25.
Now with a stimulus agreed upon, investors may also be seeking to lock in profits after an unexpected banner year. With only two trading weeks left in 2020, the S&P 500 is up 14.8% for the year, while the 30-stock Dow has risen 5.8%. The NASDAQ Composite has rallied 42.2% this year as investors favored high-growth technology companies.
Travel-related stocks came under pressure early Monday on news of an infectious new coronavirus strain in the U.K., which triggered more severe lockdowns and travel restrictions across Europe.
Norwegian and Royal Caribbean cruise lines shares each dropped more than 5% in pre-market trading. Delta Air Lines lost 4% in early trading. Shares of companies that would be hit by stricter lockdown measures fell, including Wynn Resorts and Gap.
The losses came even as lawmakers have reached an agreement on a $900 billion relief package, which would provide direct payments and jobless aid to struggling Americans. The announcement came after negotiators resolved a key sticking point by rolling back the Federal Reserve's emergency lending powers.
Congress passed a one-day spending bill to avoid a government shutdown that would have started at 12:01 a.m. ET Monday. President Donald Trump signed the measure late Sunday evening, according to White House spokesman Judd Deere.
Lawmakers will vote on the relief and funding bill on Monday.
The major averages hit record highs recently amid optimism toward fresh coronavirus stimulus as well as the vaccine rollout. Moderna is shipping its first batch of vaccine doses after receiving approval for emergence use from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Meanwhile, the vaccines by Pfizer and BioNTech are being distributed to front-line health-care workers around the country.
At Monday's open, Tesla will enter the S&P 500 with a 1.69% weighting in the index, the fifth largest. The stock was down 3% in pre-market trading.
On Friday, the Fed announced it will allow the nation's big banks to resume share buybacks in the first quarter of 2021 subject to certain rules. JPMorgan shares were up 3.5% in pre-market trading.
Overseas, in Japan, the Nikkei 225 skidded 0.2% Monday, while in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index lost 0.7%.
Oil prices dropped $1.77 to $47.33 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices slid $3.70 at $1,885.20 U.S.