U.S. stock futures, crude oil rise as investors watch for Omicron's effects

Futures for the three major U.S. stock averages rise as investors consider the potential effects of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus. Two South African health experts, including the doctor who first warned about Omicron, said the variant is showing mild symptoms so far. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization said it will take time to assess how dangerous it is. On Sunday evening, S&P 500 futures gain 0.7%, and Dow and Nasdaq futures both drift up 0.6%. Crude oil rises 3.2% to $70.33 per barrel, gold slips 0.1% to $1,783.30 per ounce, while silver gains 0.1% to $23.17 per ounce. On Friday, the stock markets ended the holiday-shortened week with the biggest dip since October 2020. The Nasdaq dropped 2.2%, the S&P 500 off 2.3%, and the Dow fell 2.5% as news of the new COVID variant led several countries to impose new travel restrictions from South Africa and its neighboring countries. The 10-year Treasury yield