US stock futures edged higher late Tuesday as investors geared up for the long‑awaited January employment data, following a third straight day of record close for the Dow.
Futures tied to the S&P 500 climbed 0.2%, while Nasdaq 100 futures added another 0.2%. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures rose about 0.1%, keeping momentum for the index that is already setting a new high.
The spotlight is on the so‑called “Super Bowl” of jobs reports: the January nonfarm payrolls from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The release has been delayed by last month’s partial government shutdown, but economists expect a median gain of roughly 68,000 jobs and an unemployment rate that will stay around 4.4%.
Many traders are bracing for a modest figure, with officials warning that expectations should be trimmed. A weaker than expected jobs report could add pressure to markets that are already rattled by softer consumer data, which showed December spending flat and falling short of the 0.4% monthly rise analysts had hoped for.
During the regular trading session, the S&P 500 slipped 0.3% as worries about artificial intelligence disrupting parts of the financial sector weighed on sentiment. Shares of several financial firms dropped after an investment platform unveiled an AI‑driven tax‑planning tool. The Nasdaq Composite fell about 0.6%, while the Dow managed a 0.1% uptick, marking another record closing level.
Looking ahead, earnings season is heating up with major names like McDonald’s, Kraft Heinz, and Cisco set to report on Thursday. Friday will bring the consumer price index, the Federal Reserve’s preferred gauge of inflation.
