Dow futures edge higher on Thursday: 5 things to know before Wall Street opens

Dow futures pointed higher on Thursday, as they edged over 60 points with the investors looking hopeful about another rate cut by the Federal Reserve.

The futures tied to other Wall Street indices also gained as S&P futures were trading 0.09% up, while Nasdaq futures were 0.13% up at press time.

Easing Treasury yields, softer labour-market signals, and corporate headlines from Boeing and big tech names are supporting sentiment in early trade.

5 things to know before Wall Street opens

1. The central driver for futures this morning is growing conviction that the Fed is edging closer to cutting rates rather than holding them at restrictive levels for longer.

Softer recent data and a cooler tone in parts of the labour market have encouraged traders to bring forward expectations for the first cut.

That shift is feeding directly into risk appetite, keeping equity futures in the green even after a strong run in recent weeks.

2. A pullback in Treasury yields is providing crucial support for equity valuations.

The 10-year yield has slipped after softer employment data, with a recent move down to about 4.06% underscoring expectations that the next major Fed move will be a cut, not a hike.

Shorter-dated yields, including the two-year, have also retreated toward recent lows, reflecting reduced pricing for further tightening and helping rate‑sensitive growth and tech names hold onto their recent outperformance.

3. In the pre-market trading, Salesforce is among the early winners after the software giant topped expectations and raised its outlook, extending Wednesday’s relief rally in large‑cap tech.

On the flipside, Snowflake is under pressure, dropping more than 9% before the bell after its revenue forecast underwhelmed, despite unveiling an expanded big‑tech partnership.

Elsewhere, traders are also rotating through second‑tier tech and growth stocks, using the recent rate‑cut optimism to selectively add winners and dump earnings disappointments.

4. Beyond the Fed and payrolls, tariff uncertainty is creeping back into investor calculations.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent sought to reassure markets on Wednesday, telling the New York Times DealBook Summit that the administration has multiple legal avenues to sustain its tariff regime even if the Supreme Court rules against its use of emergency powers.

Bessent specifically cited Sections 301, 232, and 122 of trade legislation dating to the 1960s and 1970s as alternative routes that would allow the White House to replicate its current tariff structure on a near-permanent basis.

5. The global markets advanced on Thursday, taking their cue from Wall Street’s overnight optimism.

The pan-European [Stoxx 600] gained 0.3% in early trade, with key regional indices including Germany’s DAX (+0.7%) and France’s CAC 40 (+0.4%) pushing higher.

Retailers remained in the spotlight as Zara owner Inditex extended its post-earnings rally with a further 2% rise, while German fashion brand Hugo Boss slipped another 1% after lowering guidance.

In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 surged 2.3% to close above 51,000, led by tech and AI-related names, while the broader Topix added 1.9% to reach fresh highs.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng also firmed, supported by strength in tech and consumer shares.

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