U.S. stock index futures were little changed on Wednesday evening after a muted trading session on Wall Street, as investors digested the Federal Reserve’s latest rate cut decision and awaited upcoming earnings reports from major tech companies.
Specifically, S&P 500 futures edged up about 0.1% to 6,932 points, Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.1% to 26,300 points as of 8:46 p.m. ET, while Dow Jones Industrial Average futures remained mostly flat at 47,838 points.
Earlier, the Fed cut its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to a range of 3.75%–4.00%, marking the second reduction this year. However, Fed Chair Jerome Powell emphasized that another cut in December “is not guaranteed,” adding that the central bank is “navigating through fog” due to mixed economic signals.
The cautious tone came as Powell warned that while inflation remains a concern and tariffs could have significant effects, the labor market is showing more weakness than expected.
Although some analysts still anticipate a December rate cut and at least two more in the coming year, Powell’s comments cooled market confidence that further easing is certain.
Overall, the flat movement in futures reflects investors’ wait-and-see attitude, as they hold back from taking new positions amid uncertainty surrounding monetary policy, economic data, and corporate earnings.
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