U.S. stock futures were mixed to slightly lower on Wednesday as investors awaited the closely watched January jobs report, seen as key to shaping expectations for upcoming interest-rate decisions.
Futures tied to the S&P 500 slipped into negative territory, while Nasdaq 100 futures fell 0.2%, reversing earlier modest gains, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Dow Jones Industrial Average futures hovered just above flat, following a third consecutive session of record closes for the blue-chip index.
Market attention is centered on the January employment report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The nonfarm payrolls data, delayed by last month’s partial government shutdown, is expected to show a median increase of about 68,000 jobs, according to economists surveyed by Bloomberg. The unemployment rate is projected to remain at 4.4%.
Traders are bracing for a softer reading. President Donald Trump’s trade counselor, Peter Navarro, told Fox News that expectations for monthly job growth may need to be “revised down significantly.”
A weak report could add pressure to markets already unsettled by soft consumer data released Tuesday. Government figures showed consumer spending was flat in December, missing forecasts for a 0.4% monthly increase.
The U.S. dollar declined against major peers as investors increased bets on potential interest-rate cuts by the Federal Reserve amid signs of economic slowing.
In corporate news, earnings from McDonald’s and Kraft Heinz were in focus before the opening bell, offering insight into consumer trends. After the close, attention will turn to Cisco Systems, as the tech company competes with Nvidia and promotes its new AI-focused networking chip.
