Wall Street futures remain muted as traders monitor oil prices and upcoming inflation data

U.S. Stock Futures Steady Amid Oil Price Fluctuations and Inflation Concerns

On Wednesday, U.S. stock index futures showed little movement in volatile trading as investors weighed the future of oil prices and anticipated a significant inflation update. Ongoing unrest in the Middle East continued to intensify, adding to market uncertainty.

Energy markets experienced sharp swings after reports surfaced that the International Energy Agency might release oil reserves to help stabilize global supply. This comes as escalating airstrikes in the Middle East threaten to disrupt shipping through the vital Strait of Hormuz.

Earlier this week, President Donald Trump made comments that reassured some investors, suggesting the conflict may not drag on for an extended period. As a result, oil prices have dropped below $90 per barrel, down from nearly $120 earlier in the week.

Later today, a report is expected to reveal that consumer prices likely rose in February, as recently imposed tariffs were passed on to consumers. This could heighten concerns about increasing gasoline prices in the coming months, especially since these tariffs were ruled unconstitutional at the end of last month.

Rising energy costs have led analysts to push back their expectations for a 25-basis-point interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve, now predicting a potential move in September rather than July, according to data compiled by LSEG.

Signs that the labor market is weakening could further complicate the Federal Reserve’s approach to monetary policy.

Kyle Rodda, a senior financial market analyst at Capital.com, noted, “The main issue for investors is how much this supply shock will contribute to higher inflation, slower growth, elevated interest rates, and reduced corporate profits.”

Market Snapshot

• As of 4:57 a.m. ET, Dow E-minis were down 131 points (0.27%).
• S&P 500 E-minis slipped 9.75 points (0.14%).
• Nasdaq 100 E-minis dropped 38.5 points (0.15%).

The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), often referred to as Wall Street’s “fear gauge,” rose by 0.72 points to 25.65.

Corporate Highlights

Oracle projected that the ongoing surge in AI data centers will drive its revenue above forecasts through 2027, sending its shares up 10% in premarket trading.

Semiconductor giants including Nvidia, Broadcom, and Advanced Micro Devices saw modest gains.

Travel-related stocks, which are particularly sensitive to energy price changes, showed mixed results. American Airlines rose 0.3%, while Carnival, a major cruise operator, fell 0.6%.

Later today, remarks from Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman are expected and will be closely watched for any hints on future policy direction.

Additional Market Developments

Investors are also keeping an eye on the private credit sector.

JPMorgan Chase has reportedly reduced the value of certain loans held by private-credit groups and is tightening its lending standards in the sector.

Among individual stocks, defense contractor AeroVironment fell 9.6% after issuing a 2026 profit forecast that missed expectations. Meanwhile, Nike shares climbed 1.8% following an upgrade from Barclays, which raised its rating on the athletic apparel company to “overweight.”

Reporting by Johann M Cherian in Bengaluru; Edited by Maju Samuel

Originally published on USA TODAY: US stock futures subdued as investors eye crude prices, inflation