Oracle launches unified health data exchange console
Investing.com-- U.S. stock index futures rose on Wednesday evening, extending gains after a strong technology-driven session on Wall Street as markets largely looked past growing economic and political risks.
Focus is now squarely on an upcoming address by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Thursday. Persistent bets on more interest rate cuts by the Fed also buoyed Wall Street, especially after the minutes of the central bank’s September meeting pointed to more cuts ahead.
But the government remained partially shut down, with political deadlock in Congress, over a spending bill, showing few signs of clearing. Doubts over Japanese fiscal health and a government collapse in France also spurred risk aversion, driving gold prices to record highs.
S&P 500 Futures rose 0.1% to 6,806.75 points, while Nasdaq 100 Futures rose 0.2% to 25,370.75 points by 20:04 ET (00:04 GMT). Dow Jones Futures rose 0.1% to 46,895.0 points.
Fed minutes point to more cuts, Powell address awaited
The minutes of the Fed’s September meeting, released on Wednesday, showed most policymakers favored more easing by the central bank, amid risks from a cooling labor market.
But they were uncertain on just how low rates should fall, especially as U.S. inflation remained sticky. Comments from several Fed officials this week also reflected caution over future rate cuts.
While ultra-dovish Fed members such as Governor Stephen Miran have called for an outsized 50 basis point cut, they rank among the minority in the Fed’s rate-setting board.
Fed Chair Powell is now set to speak at 08:30 ET (12:30 GMT), potentially offering up more cues on the Fed’s easing plans. The central bank is widely expected to cut rates by another 25 bps in October, CME Fedwatch showed.
But the Fed still has to contend with a lack of clarity on the U.S. economy, as a shutdown delayed the release of several key economic prints.
Wall St rises on tech gains; Q3 earnings on tap
Wall Street indexes advanced on Wednesday, hitting record highs as tech shares rebounded from some losses in the prior session. Focus is now on the upcoming third-quarter earnings season.
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) was a major boost to Wall Street, rising over 2% after CEO Jensen Huang flagged strong artificial intelligence-driven demand for computing, while also confirming an investment in Elon Musk’s xAI.
The third-quarter earnings season is set to begin in earnest in the coming days, with PepsiCo Inc (NASDAQ:PEP) and Delta Air Lines Inc (NYSE:DAL) set to report on Thursday. A host of major Wall Street banks will report Q3 earnings next week, while chipmaking bellwether ASML Holding (AS:ASML) is also due to report.
The S&P 500 rose 0.6% to 6,753.72 points, while the NASDAQ Composite rose 1.1% to 23,043.38 points, with both indexes hitting record closing highs. The NASDAQ Composite lagged, ending flat at 46,601.78 points.