Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq futures jump ahead of PCE data

US stock futures moved higher Friday morning as investors prepared for a busy day of economic releases, following the end of a three-day winning streak for the Dow and the S&P 500.

Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.2%. Contracts linked to the S&P 500 gained 0.3%, while Nasdaq 100 futures advanced 0.4%, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Energy markets remained in focus as both Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate extended gains on Thursday amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran. President Donald Trump said he would decide within 10 days whether to pursue military strikes against Iran as negotiations over its nuclear program continue.

Investors are also awaiting fresh inflation data, with the release of the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index due Friday morning. Economists expect headline PCE to rise 2.8% year over year, while core PCE — which excludes food and energy and is the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation measure — is forecast to increase 3%.

Markets will also receive the first estimate of fourth-quarter US gross domestic product.

Debate over the outlook for interest rates continues among Federal Reserve officials. Although inflation has eased from its peak, it remains above the central bank’s 2% target. Minutes from the January policy meeting indicate that some policymakers are seeking clearer evidence of sustained cooling in prices before supporting further rate cuts, while others remain focused on maintaining labor market strength.

Corporate earnings remain a key driver of sentiment. Nvidia and Dell Technologies are scheduled to report next week, with investors closely watching for signals on whether the recent pullback in AI-related stocks has been overstated.

For the week so far, the S&P 500 is up 0.4%. The Nasdaq Composite is on track to snap a five-week losing streak with a 0.6% gain, while the Dow is down about 0.2% over the same period.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev