U.S. stock futures advanced modestly on Wednesday, signaling a continuation of recent gains as investors awaited key jobs data that could shape expectations for the Federal Reserve’s upcoming policy meeting.
As of 4:49 P.M. (GMT+7), the Dow Jones Industrial Average futures added by 0.25%, or 118.00 points, to 47,592.50 points. S&P 500 contracts increased slightly by 0.18%, or 12.10 points, to 6,841.50 points, while Nasdaq 100 futures edged up by 0.14%, or 34.60 points, to 25,590.50 points.
The upbeat sentiment follows a broad rally on Tuesday, powered by leading technology companies such as Nvidia, and a rebound in bitcoin after the cryptocurrency suffered its steep drop.
Investor attention is sharpening ahead of the Fed’s policy announcement scheduled for December 10. According to the CME FedWatch tool, markets are currently assigning roughly an 89% chance of an interest rate cut at the meeting.
The release of the ADP private payrolls report at 8:15 A.M. (ET) will be closely scrutinized for insights into labor market conditions and potential implications for monetary policy.
With government data releases still stalled due to the recent shutdown and no nonfarm payrolls report expected this week, the ADP figures will serve as one of the last significant labor market readings before the Fed’s decision.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump remains in the spotlight as speculation continues over his forthcoming nomination for Federal Reserve chair, set for early 2026, with National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett widely considered as the front-runner.
Premarket activity was lively, with shares of Marvell Technology surging about 10% to $101.88 after the U.S. chipmaker reported stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings. American Eagle Outfitters also saw its stock climb more than 13% to $23.61 following an upward revision to its full-year outlook, spurred by a robust start to the holiday season.
Earnings from Salesforce, Macy’s, and Dollar Tree are due to be released later on Wednesday.
