US Stock Futures Flat Ahead of January Inflation Report
US stock futures remained steady amidst anticipation of the January inflation report, which will provide insights into the Federal Reserve's interest rate decisions.
* Nasdaq futures (NQ=F) edged up 0.2%.
* S&P 500 futures (ES=F) remained unchanged.
* Dow Jones futures (YM=F) held flat.
The CPI report is expected on Wednesday at 8:30 AM ET, with consumer prices projected to rise 0.3% over the previous month. Excluding food and gas, prices are seen climbing 3.1% year-over-year.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell reiterated the central bank's cautious approach to interest rate cuts, citing persistent inflation and policy uncertainties.
Reddit (RDDT) will release earnings after-hours on Wednesday, with high expectations from Wall Street. Investors also anticipate earnings from Robinhood (HOOD) as its stock recently hit a 3-year high.
Tariffs have impacted markets, causing a decline in trust in President Trump's economic handling. Reciprocal tariffs are anticipated from multiple countries by Friday.
AI-Driven Stock Surge in China Gains Support
Wall Street strategists are supporting China's AI-driven stock surge, predicting that the country's growing tech capabilities will sustain the bull market.
Analysts from Morgan Stanley (MS), JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM), and UBS Group AG (UBS) believe that stock gains fueled by DeepSeek's artificial intelligence model will persist.
Alibaba Surges on Apple AI Partnership
Alibaba (BABA) stock jumped over 10% after news emerged that Apple (AAPL) is collaborating with the Chinese e-commerce platform to enter the AI business in China.