Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Feb. 13, 2025.
NYSE
S&P 500 futures were little changed Thursday night after President Donald Trump held off on imposing new reciprocal tariffs.
Futures linked to the 500-stock index were marginally lower, as were Dow Jones Industrial Average futures. Nasdaq 100 futures dipped 0.1%.
During the day’s regular session, the S&P 500 added 1.04%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite rose 1.5%. The Dow advanced 0.77%, hitting its session highs after Trump signed a presidential memorandum on reciprocal tariffs but fell short of enacting them for the time being.
Investors were also relieved after January’s producer price index, as well as Wednesday’s consumer price index report, seemed to suggest a softer reading for the personal consumption expenditures price index. The PCE price index is the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, and it is due later this month.
While markets managed to end Thursday higher, Mark Malek, chief investment officer at Siebert, believes that this relief and positive momentum over a pause in retaliatory tariffs may be short-lived.
“The market will have pressure on Friday — there was not enough clear stimulus for the market to trade this way … nothing that would justify this late-day move. I listened very carefully to the president speaking, and there was nothing in there that stood out to me as great for the market,” he told CNBC in an interview. “Friday is going to be one of those days where people are going to try to figure out what this all means.”
For now, the major averages are all on pace to end the week higher. The S&P 500 and the Dow are respectively set for a gain of about 1.5% and 0.9%. The Nasdaq is 2.2% higher week to date.
Biopharma giant Moderna will report earnings Friday before the bell. Traders will also watch out for the latest retail sales data.