US Stock Futures Fluctuate as Earnings and Trump's Tariffs Weigh
US stock futures exhibited volatility on Friday, as investors digested recent earnings reports and President Donald Trump's potential shift on China tariffs.
Market Indexes and Sentiment
* Dow Jones Industrial Average Futures (YM=F) declined 0.3%
* S&P 500 Futures (ES=F) edged below flat after hitting a record high of 2025 on Thursday
* Nasdaq 100 Futures (NQ=F) remained largely unchanged
Trump's Impact on Markets
President Trump's comments at Davos, calling for lower interest rates, oil prices, and taxes, initially boosted investor optimism. However, Wall Street remains skeptical of the President's ability to implement these changes.
Tariffs and Trade War
Trump's statement that he would "rather not" impose tariffs on China eased some concerns about a potential trade war. Chinese stocks (000300.SS) rose after the remarks.
Earnings Season
Verizon (VZ) and American Express (AXP) are expected to release earnings on Friday, kicking off a key earnings season. Big Tech companies are set to report results next week.
Other Market News
* Oil (CL=F, BZ=F) prices gained on Thursday but remained on track for a weekly loss.
* Gold (GC=F) surged towards a record high as the dollar (DX-Y.NYB) declined.
* Boeing (BA) shares fell after the company announced a projected $3.5 billion quarterly loss due to strikes and layoffs.
* US manufacturing and services activity data for January will provide insights into the economy ahead of the Federal Reserve's meeting next week.