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Stock futures are little changed as traders brace for wholesale inflation report

5 d ago

**U.S. Stock Futures Flatline as Traders Await Key Inflation Reports Amid Rising Treasury Yields and Oil Prices** U.S. stock futures traded near the flatline Wednesday evening as traders focused on the first of two inflation reports due this week, with Dow Jones Industrial Average futures edging up 54 points (0.1%), S&P 500 futures adding 0.04%, and Nasdaq-100 futures marginally lower. The cautious start follows a third consecutive day of losses for major averages: the Dow fell over 400 points (0.8%), the S&P 500 dropped 0.5%, and the Nasdaq Composite declined 0.6%. Asian markets also slid Thursday, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 down 0.62%, South Korea’s Kospi losing 0.24%, and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 falling 1.36%. Higher Treasury yields kept U.S. stocks under pressure after the Treasury Department announced it would buy back up to $6 billion in longer-term debt—triple the usual amount and a sharp increase from its plan less than a month ago. The 10-year Treasury note yield climbed to a session high of 4.857%, its highest since November 2023. Rising oil prices amid escalating U.S.-Iran tensions also weighed on markets: international Brent crude futures advanced 3.4% to settle at $101.21 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose 3.3% to $96.05—both the highest since May. Traders now eye two inflation reports: August’s Producer Price Index (PPI) due Thursday, expected to show a 0.3% monthly gain and 5.3% year-over-year increase, and the closely watched Consumer Price Index (CPI) on Friday, with consensus forecasts of a 0.4% monthly jump and 3.4% annual rise. Additional economic data includes weekly initial jobless claims and August existing home sales, both due Thursday morning.