Today's Pre-Market: Bitcoin, Google, Boeing, Consumer prices, and Iran oil tanker seizure.

Bitcoin ETFs begin trading on U.S. exchanges

• Investors and financial advisors will be watching closely to see not only how the bitcoin ETFs perform, but also how well they track the price of bitcoin and the trading volume of the funds.

• The Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) and the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) both saw millions of shares of trading volume within the first 10 minutes of the trading session.

Google cuts hundreds of jobs across engineering, hardware teams

• Google cut several hundred jobs across the company late Wednesday night as it continues to push for efficiency, a spokesperson confirmed.

• The layoffs will impact employees in Google’s central engineering, hardware and Assistant teams.

• The announcement marks the latest cost-cutting effort at Google as it works to rein in the dramatic growth that took place during the pandemic.

FAA investigating if Boeing failed to ensure certain aircraft were safe for operation after door blew on Alaska Airlines plane

• The Federal Aviation Administration said it has informed Boeing it’s investigating whether the company failed to ensure certain aircraft were safe for operation

• The probe comes after a part of a Boeing plane blew out in the middle of an Alaska Airlines flight earlier this month.

Consumer prices rose 0.3% in December, higher than expected, pushing the annual rate to 3.4%

• The consumer price index increased 0.3% in December and 3.4% from a year ago, compared with respective estimates of 0.2% and 3.2%

• Excluding volatile food and energy prices, the so-called core CPI also rose 0.3% for the month and 3.9% from a year ago, compared with respective estimates of 0.3% and 3.8%.

• Much of the increase came due to rising shelter costs. The category rose 0.5% for the month and accounted for more than half the core CPI increase.

• Wages adjusted for inflation posted a 0.2% gain on the month, while rising a modest 0.8% from a year ago.

Iran seizes oil tanker involved in U.S. dispute off coast of Oman

• Iran has captured an oil tanker previously involved in a Washington-Tehran dispute over carrying U.S.-sanctioned crude, state media said.

• Earlier on Thursday, the U.K. Marine Trade Operations said an unnamed tanker was boarded by armed individuals near the Gulf of Oman and appeared to change course toward Iranian waters.

• The tanker is embroiled in a dispute between Iran and the U.S. and previously surrendered Iranian crude to U.S. authorities following allegations of sanctions violations.