U.S. Stock Futures Edge Up Despite Hot Inflation Report

U.S. stock futures rose modestly on Thursday, despite the release of January's hot inflation report, which dashed hopes of an imminent interest rate cut.

Key Market Movers:

* Dow Jones futures (YM=F): Up 0.1%
* Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): Up 0.4%
* S&P 500 futures (ES=F): Up 0.2%

Inflation Data Dampens Rate Cut Hopes

The inflation report showed consumer prices rising more than expected, with inflation hovering around 3%. This data makes it likely that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates on hold until inflation approaches its target of 2%.

Earnings Reports Impact Stocks

* Reddit (RDDT) shares declined after the social media company reported weaker-than-expected user growth.
* Robinhood (HOOD) shares surged after the trading app beat profit expectations in the fourth quarter.

Wall Street Awaits Key Economic Data

On Thursday, investors will receive additional insights into inflation with the release of the producer price index (PPI) at 8:30 a.m. ET. Analysts anticipate a 0.3% increase in the PPI, which measures wholesale price changes.

Other Market News

* President Donald Trump's ongoing trade war with China remains a concern for investors.
* Asian shares rose on Thursday, buoyed by optimism surrounding U.S.-Russian peace talks and the hype surrounding artificial intelligence (AI).

Energy Sector

Oil prices declined, with Brent crude (BZ=F) dropping 2.7% to below $72 a barrel, due to optimism over the peace talks and a 3% decline in Exxon Mobil (XOM) shares.

Asian Market Performance

Asian investors focused on potential resolutions to the Ukraine conflict and China's growing tech sector, which has been bolstered by DeepSeek AI hype.