US stock futures edged higher on Tuesday to begin a holiday-shortened week of trading highlighted by Federal Reserve minutes, as President Donald Trump’s policy overhaul continued to loom over markets.
Nasdaq 100 futures (NQ=F) popped roughly 0.4% on the heels of Friday’s record close for the tech-heavy index. S&P 500 futures (ES=F) put on 0.3%, eyeing a fresh bid on a January all-time high, while contracts on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (YM=F) were little changed.
Stocks on Wall Street are cautiously upbeat after Monday’s closure for President’s Day as investors debate the future path of interest rates. Fed officials over the long weekend signaled a firm belief that rates should stay at current levels to combat rising inflation. That has turned the spotlight on Wednesday’s release of minutes from the Fed’s January meeting for more clues to policymakers’ thinking amid Trump’s tariffs.
At the same time, the US-Russia talks on ending the Ukraine war are gripping markets, as Trump and Putin’s teams meet in Saudi Arabia on Monday. Stock markets in Europe (^STOXX) held near record highs as traders bet on higher defense spending in the region.
Earnings season continues, with results from 46 S&P 500 companies due this week. Baidu (BIDU, 9888.HK) reported a smaller-than-expected fall in revenue to ease concerns over AI rivalry, but its shares slipped in pre-market trading. The report kicks off this week’s results from China’s trillion-dollar tech industry, including from Alibaba (BABA) on Thursday.
Tuesday will see Devon Energy (DVN), Oxy (OXY), Toll Brothers (TOL) all release quarterly reports, with Walmart (WMT) and Dropbox (DBX) announcing on Thursday, a big earnings day for investors.
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