U.S. Futures Hold Steady as Investors Weigh Auto Tariffs and Economic Data

U.S. stock index futures hovered near the flatline on Thursday as investors digested the impact of Trump’s newly announced 25% tariffs on imported cars and awaited key Q4 GDP data.

Futures Performance (As of 10:10 GMT)

• Dow Jones Futures: +100 points (+0.2%)
• S&P 500 Futures: +8 points (+0.2%)
• Nasdaq 100 Futures: +18 points (+0.1%)

Wall Street saw a negative session on Wednesday, driven by sharp declines in tech stocks, amid concerns over oversupply in AI data centers and computing capacity.

Trump’s Auto Tariffs Weigh on Markets

President Donald Trump confirmed a 25% tariff on all foreign-made cars and light trucks, effective April 2, which has put pressure on automakers:

• General Motors (GM), Stellantis (STLA), and Ford (F) all fell in premarket trading.
• Foreign automakers listed in the U.S., including Toyota (TM), Honda (HMC), and Ferrari (RACE), also declined.

While the move is aimed at boosting domestic production, it is expected to increase local automobile costs in the short term and disrupt global supply chains. U.S. automakers, many of which rely on overseas factories, especially in Mexico, could also face higher costs and operational hurdles.

Q4 Growth Data & Inflation Fears

With investors worried that tariffs could slow U.S. growth and reignite inflation, focus is shifting to:

• Q4 U.S. GDP data, set for release later today.
• Weekly initial jobless claims, providing insight into labor market strength.

Comments from FOMC member Tom Barkin will also be closely watched after his colleague Alberto Musalem warned on Wednesday that inflation risks remain elevated. He noted that rising import tariffs could fuel more persistent inflationary pressures, potentially complicating the Federal Reserve’s rate-cut path.