U.S. stock-index futures ticked upward on Tuesday evening following a session in which major averages ended the regular trading day slightly lower. S&P 500 Futures were up 0.2% at 6,978.25 points, Nasdaq 100 Futures rose 0.3% to 25,291.75 points, and Dow Jones Futures traded 0.2% higher at 50,385.0 points as of 20:11 ET (01:11 GMT).
In cash trading earlier in the day, the S&P 500 fell 0.3% and the NASDAQ Composite declined 0.6%, pressured mainly by losses among technology and other growth-oriented shares. The Dow Jones Industrial Average managed a small gain in the session and registered its third consecutive record closing above the 50,000 level.
Market participants spent much of the morning parsing U.S. retail sales data that showed consumer spending was flat on a monthly basis, a result below consensus expectations. That muted reading has been interpreted by some investors as evidence that elevated borrowing costs may be starting to temper household demand, even as broader economic readings have continued to display resilience.
Those developments have contributed to growing market bets that the Federal Reserve could move to cut interest rates later this year should economic growth cool further. Traders are now waiting for a cluster of delayed government reports that are expected to offer a more complete and recent look at demand and inflation trends.
Most immediately, the monthly jobs report - postponed because of the recent government shutdown - is scheduled for release on Wednesday. That report will provide a fresh, comprehensive update on labor market conditions at a time when policymakers are carefully watching employment for any signs of slack. Also on the docket is the delayed U.S. consumer price index, due on Friday, which market participants expect will be a key near-term driver of direction in equities and fixed income.
Corporate news in extended trading
Several company reports moved prices in after-hours trading. Robinhood Markets (HOOD) fell 7.5% in after-hours trade after posting results that disappointed investors, with revenue and user metrics coming in softer than some had anticipated. Ride-hailing company LYFT dropped more than 17% in post-market trading after an earnings release that failed to meet expectations, adding pressure to other consumer-facing technology names.
Automaker Ford Motor Company (F) reported quarterly results that missed Wall Street forecasts, with the shortfall reflecting charges tied to its electric-vehicle business and ongoing supply-chain disruptions. Despite the topline miss, Ford’s management projected stronger earnings for 2026. Ford shares edged 0.5% higher in after-hours trading following the report.
The coming 48 hours are likely to remain important for market participants. With both employment and inflation data delayed and concentrated into this short window, investors will be watching for any signs that demand or price pressures are diverging from current expectations. Until those reports arrive and are digested, futures markets may continue to trade with heightened sensitivity to incoming economic details and corporate earnings developments.