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U.S. stock index futures remained largely unchanged on Thursday as investors assessed potential peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, alongside upcoming inflation data and corporate earnings reports.
As of 10:10 GMT:
- Dow Jones Futures fell 10 points (-0.1%)
- S&P 500 Futures dropped 1 point (-0.1%)
- Nasdaq 100 Futures edged up 18 points (+0.1%)
Wall Street Awaits Clarity After Mixed Session
On Wednesday, Wall Street’s major indexes ended mostly lower following a hotter-than-expected U.S. consumer inflation report. However, losses were moderated by strong corporate earnings.
- S&P 500 closed down 0.3%
- Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.5%
- Nasdaq Composite ended flat
Ukraine Peace Talks Lift Sentiment
Investor sentiment improved after President Donald Trump announced late Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had expressed a willingness to negotiate peace.
Trump further stated that he had instructed top officials to initiate peace talks, signaling a potential breakthrough in the ongoing conflict.
Adding to the optimism, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed that Ukraine would withdraw its bid to join NATO, a move that could ease tensions with Moscow.
Inflation Data in Focus: PPI Report Follows CPI Surprise
Markets are closely watching the latest U.S. producer price index (PPI) data, scheduled for release later Thursday.
- Economists expect PPI to rise 0.3% MoM in January, up from 0.2% in December.
- The core PPI, excluding food, energy, and trade, is forecasted to accelerate to 0.3% MoM.
This follows Wednesday’s higher-than-expected consumer price index (CPI) report, which suggested persistent inflationary pressures.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell reiterated in a Congressional testimony that the Fed will not cut interest rates until inflation shows clear signs of moving towards its 2% target.
Trump’s Economic Stance: Tariffs and Inflation Concerns
Trump has pledged to lower inflation, blaming rising prices on the Biden administration. However, analysts warn that his tariff policies could have inflationary effects in the coming months.
- This week, Trump imposed 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.
- He also hinted at reciprocal tariffs on major U.S. trading partners.
Earnings Season: Key Reports on Tap
Corporate earnings continue to shape market movements, with over two-thirds of S&P 500 companies having reported results. So far, 77% have exceeded Wall Street expectations, according to FactSet.
Upcoming earnings reports include:
- Airbnb (NASDAQ: ABNB) – Home rental giant
- Coinbase Global (NASDAQ: COIN) – Cryptocurrency exchange
- Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ: PANW) – Cybersecurity firm
Pre-Market Movers
- Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO) gained after raising its annual revenue guidance, citing strong demand for AI-powered cloud networking.
- Dutch Bros (NYSE: BROS) surged after reporting better-than-expected earnings and strong same-store sales growth.
- Reddit (NYSE: RDDT) slumped after daily active unique visitors fell short of expectations, with CEO Steve Huffman blaming Google’s (NASDAQ: GOOGL) search algorithm changes.
Outlook
Markets remain in a wait-and-see mode, balancing geopolitical optimism with inflation concerns and earnings results. Traders will watch how PPI data shapes Federal Reserve rate expectations and whether peace talks progress, potentially influencing equity markets and risk sentiment.
