US Stocks Climb Premarket as Dovish Fed Remarks Fuel Rate-Cut Hopes
Key Takeaways
Wall Street futures advanced in early trading on Friday as fresh Federal Reserve commentary tilted more dovish, bolstering expectations that restrictive policy could ease in the months ahead. Investors rotated back into risk assets after Thursday’s sharp reversal, with tech leading premarket gains.
Several Fed officials signaled that current policy remains restrictive and could justify cuts if the labor market slows further. One policymaker emphasized the need to stay forward-looking, noting rising risks to employment as a reason for the easing delivered so far, while still prioritizing the fight against inflation. Another, seen as among the more dovish voices at the Fed, suggested recent labor market data should support a policy pivot as soon as December if trends persist.
The shift in tone helped lift major benchmarks before the opening bell. The S&P 500 rose about 37 points, the Nasdaq Composite added roughly 124 points, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced around 260 points in premarket action. The rebound follows a volatile session on Thursday, when stocks surrendered early gains fueled by upbeat Nvidia results and the Nasdaq slid more than 2% by the close. With the interest rate outlook back in focus, investors are recalibrating expectations for the path of Fed policy, inflation, and growth heading into year-end.
Key Points – US stock futures rose on dovish-leaning Federal Reserve commentary. – Officials said policy remains restrictive and could justify rate cuts if labor risks intensify. – Inflation remains a primary concern, but forward-looking risks to jobs are growing. – Premarket moves: S&P 500 + ~37 points, Nasdaq + ~124, Dow + ~260. – Thursday saw a sharp reversal despite strong Nvidia earnings, with the Nasdaq down over 2%. – Markets are repricing the interest rate outlook into year-end amid mixed data.
