Dow Futures edged up slightly ahead of the Wall Street open on Friday, as investors held onto optimism after major indexes hit fresh record highs the day before.
The upbeat mood has been driven by signs of strength in the US economy, solid corporate earnings, and a strong run in tech stocks, echoed by gains in global markets.
That said, investors aren’t letting their guard down just yet.
There’s still plenty of focus on what the Fed might signal next, how strong consumer spending really is, and what kind of ripple effects could come from the latest round of tariffs.
For now, things feel relatively steady in the markets, but a lot of people are watching to see if this tech-led rally still has legs—or if a reality check is around the corner.
5 things to know before Wall Street opens today
1. Investors are keeping an eye on upcoming earnings reports from major names like American Express, Charles Schwab, and 3M, which are set to shed more light on the health of corporate America.
These results come on the heels of an encouraging week of earnings, with about 88% of S&P 500 companies that have reported so far beating Wall Street expectations.
That strong showing has helped fuel market optimism, especially as investors look for reassurance that high valuations, particularly in tech are backed by real performance.
2. June retail sales came in hotter than expected, rising 0.6% and giving markets a reason to cheer.
Jobless claims also ticked lower, a sign that the labor market is still hanging tough despite all the noise around interest rates and inflation.
That combo of solid consumer spending and a strong jobs picture helped drive stocks higher on Thursday.
3. Traders are keeping an eye on the Fed, trying to figure out what comes next. There’s been some chatter about a possible rate cut this month after one of the more dovish Fed governors came out in support of it.
But not everyone’s convinced as it is still unclear how much pressure rising tariffs and inflation concerns might put on the central bank.
At the same time, the politics around all this aren’t exactly calming things down.
President Trump is once again taking shots at Fed Chair Jerome Powell, though he’s pushed back on talk that Powell might be on his way out.
4. The White House has started sending letters to more than 20 trading partners, proposing new tariffs in the 20% to 40% range.
Not surprisingly, that’s shaken some nerves globally, with folks trying to figure out what it means for trade going forward.
5. Asian stock markets wrapped up Friday with a mixed performance. Solid global economic numbers offered some support, but regional challenges and sector-specific pressures limited overall gains.
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