U.S. stock futures were subdued on Tuesday evening after a quiet day of trading, as the market awaited new signals on inflation and interest rates. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 hovered just below their starting points, while Nasdaq 100 futures slipped by 0.1%.
Earlier in the day, the major indexes managed to post small gains. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite each rose about 0.1%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average added just over 30 points.
Despite the overall calm, technology stocks, especially in the software sector, continued to face pressure. Investors are grappling with the potential long-term effects of artificial intelligence on business models and competition. This led to notable declines in shares of companies focused on business intelligence and cybersecurity.
All eyes are now on the release of the Federal Reserve’s minutes from its January meeting, scheduled for Wednesday. Investors will scour the document for clues about policymakers’ views on the economy and the path of interest rates. The week’s main economic event, however, comes on Friday with the latest reading on the personal consumption expenditures price index, a key inflation gauge closely watched by the Fed.
The corporate earnings calendar also remains active, with several major companies set to report their quarterly results on Wednesday.
