U.S. Stock Futures Dip Amid Trade Policy Uncertainty

U.S. stock index futures declined on Friday, weighed down by ongoing uncertainty surrounding President Trump's trade policies. Investors also anxiously await economic data and corporate earnings reports that could shed light on the health of the economy.

Key Points:

* Dow E-minis: Down 78 points (0.17%)
* S&P 500 E-minis: Down 12 points (0.20%)
* Nasdaq 100 E-minis: Down 46.5 points (0.21%)

Trade Policy Concerns

Investors remain apprehensive about tariffs, following President Trump's repeated references to the policies this week without providing specifics. Concerns persist that tariffs could trigger a global trade war, increase inflation, and hinder interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve.

Economic Data and Earnings Reports

Later today, the market will analyze preliminary manufacturing and services activity data for January from a private survey, as well as the University of Michigan's final Consumer Sentiment estimate.

In premarket trading, Boeing shares fell 1.7% after announcing an estimated fourth-quarter loss of approximately $4 billion due to production issues, regulatory challenges, supply chain disruptions, and labor unrest.

Verizon, American Express, and NextEra Energy are set to release quarterly earnings before market open.

Market Performance

Despite the dip in futures, Wall Street's main indexes are poised for their second consecutive week of gains. The Dow is on track for its most significant weekly increase since October 2022, driven by optimism over Trump's investment plans in artificial intelligence, signs of easing inflation, and strong earnings from major banks.

Other Notable Developments

* Texas Instruments shares declined 4.9% after forecasting lower-than-estimated quarterly profits due to excess inventory in its automotive and industrial markets.
* Megacaps including Microsoft, Meta, Apple, and Tesla will report quarterly results next week. Their stocks remained largely unchanged in premarket trading.
* U.S.-listed shares of Chinese companies rose on hopes that Trump's recent comments suggest potential avoidance of tariffs against China.