| Ticker | Status | Jurisdiction | Filing Date | CP Start | CP End | CP Loss | Deadline |
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| Ticker | Case Name | Status | CP Start | CP End | Deadline | Settlement Amt |
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| Ticker | Name | Date | Analyst Firm | Up/Down | Target ($) | Rating Change | Rating Current |
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Editor’s Note: The future prices of benchmark tracking ETFs, the lede, and the latest economic releases were updated in the story.
U.S. stock futures were rising on Thursday following Wednesday’s mixed close. Futures of major benchmark indices were higher.
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers increased 0.4% on a seasonally adjusted basis in August, after rising 0.2% in July, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.
Over the last 12 months, the all-items index increased 2.9% before seasonal adjustment, in line with the consensus view.
Initial jobless claims rose to 263,000 in the week ending Sept. 4, up from the previous 237,000 claims last week and above the 235,000 consensus forecast.
Meanwhile, the 10-year Treasury bond yielded 4.05% and the two-year bond was at 3.55%. The CME Group's FedWatch tool‘s projections show markets pricing a 100% likelihood of the Federal Reserve cutting the current interest rates for the Sept. 17 decision.
| Futures | Change (+/-) |
| Dow Jones | 0.06% |
| S&P 500 | 0.13% |
| Nasdaq 100 | 0.20% |
| Russell 2000 | -0.21% |
The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:SPY) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:QQQ), which track the S&P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, rose in premarket on Thursday. The SPY was up 0.15% at $653.20, while the QQQ advanced 0.20% to $581.88, according to Benzinga Pro data.
Sectors that gained and lost on Wednesday reflected a divergent market, as energy and information technology stocks bucked the overall trend to close higher.
Most other sectors on the S&P 500 finished in the red, with consumer discretionary, health care, and consumer staples recording the biggest losses. This split performance led to a mixed close for U.S. stocks, with the S&P 500 surging to new highs while the Dow Jones index fell more than 200 points.
The positive sentiment was driven by wholesale price data, as the Producer Price Index slipped 0.1% in August, contrary to expectations for a 0.3% increase. Wholesale inflation also slowed sharply on an annual basis, declining from 3.3% to 2.6%.
AI-linked stocks rallied, fueled by investor optimism that artificial intelligence will boost earnings growth after Oracle Corp. (NYSE:ORCL) announced a massive backlog of AI-related orders. In contrast, shares of Chewy, Inc. (NYSE:CHW) tumbled by around 17% on Wednesday following the company’s release of its second-quarter results.
The Dow Jones index ended 220 points or 0.48% lower at 45,490.92, whereas the S&P 500 index rose 0.30% to 6,532.04. Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.030% to 21,886.06, and the small-cap gauge, Russell 2000, tumbled 0.16% to end at 2,378.01.
| Index | Performance (+/-) | Value |
| Nasdaq Composite | 0.030% | 21,886.06 |
| S&P 500 | 0.30% | 6,532.04 |
| Dow Jones | -0.48% | 45,490.92 |
| Russell 2000 | -0.16% | 2,378.01 |
As investors await the Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, investment bank Goldman Sachs has projected that inflation continued its upward climb in August, further complicating the Federal Reserve’s upcoming interest rate decision.
Economists at Goldman Sachs anticipate a 0.37% month-over-month increase in the headline CPI, which would push the year-over-year inflation rate to 2.9%. This forecast, slightly above the Wall Street consensus of +0.3%, comes as consumers and businesses grapple with prices that have been steadily rising since April, when President Trump’s tariffs began to take effect.
The bank also projects a significant rise in core CPI, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, forecasting a 0.36% monthly increase, bringing the annual rate to 3.13%.
In a research note, Goldman Sachs economists attributed the expected price surge to several factors:
This outlook is largely shared by other financial institutions, with Bank of America also forecasting a 2.9% annual inflation rate, aligning with the broader Wall Street consensus.
Meanwhile, with the Federal Reserve expected to begin an easing cycle as early as next week, analysts are pointing to a staggering $7.4 trillion in money market funds as potential fuel for the next wave of stock market gains.
This massive cash reserve, or “dry powder,” has grown even as equities rallied—an unusual trend driven by high interest rates that made cash an attractive asset.
According to a new note from LPL Research, impending rate cuts could reverse this flow. The firm stated that a resumption of the monetary policy easing cycle “could also provide additional longer-term tailwinds for equity markets.”
LPL suggests that as the Fed lowers rates, the appeal of money market funds will diminish, potentially prompting investors to re-deploy capital into stocks.
This shift is seen as a key catalyst for extending the current rally. Despite risks of intermittent volatility, LPL Research concludes that the fundamental outlook remains strong, asserting “the bull market likely has more left in the tank.” The firm expects the powerful AI investment cycle and steady economic growth to provide continued support for U.S. equities.
See Also: How to Trade Futures
Here's what investors will be keeping an eye on Thursday;
Crude oil futures were trading lower in the early New York session by 0.46% to hover around $63.38 per barrel.
Gold Spot US Dollar fell 0.38% to hover around $3,626.75 per ounce. Its last record high stood at $3,674.75 per ounce. The U.S. Dollar Index spot was 0.14% higher at the 97.9200 level.
Asian markets closed higher on Thursday as Australia's ASX 200, China’s CSI 300, Japan's Nikkei 225, Hong Kong's Hang Seng, India’s S&P BSE Sensex, and South Korea's Kospi indices rose. European markets were mixed in early trade.
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