United States stock futures traded lower on Sunday night (Monday AEDT) as Wall Street attempted to stabilise on Friday following the Dow Jones Industrial Average’s worst weekly performance since 2023.
By 9:25 am AEDT (10:25 pm GMT) Dow futures, S&P 500 futures, and Nasdaq 100 futures lost 0.3%, 0.4%, and 0.5%, respectively.
Market volatility has intensified as investors struggle to keep pace with President Donald Trump’s rapidly shifting tariff policies.
Concerns over economic weakness have added to the uncertainty, fueling speculation over whether the stock market correction could evolve into a broader bear market.
Adding to the cautious sentiment, the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index for March fell to 57.9, significantly below expectations of 63.1.
ANZ analysts noted, “The preliminary March survey of consumer sentiment by the University of Michigan reflected intensifying anxiety among consumers and households due to the major policy changes taking shape under the Trump administration.
"Measures of consumer confidence indicate what consumers feel, not necessarily what consumers do. But large, sudden weakness in consumer expectations can manifest in more precautionary spending plans.”
Investors are bracing for a high-risk week, with the Federal Reserve set to announce its latest policy decision on Wednesday. While the central bank is widely expected to hold interest rates steady Chair Jerome Powell’s comments will be scrutinised for any shift in tone.
Powell has previously reiterated that the Fed is “in no hurry” to cut rates, a stance that has weighed on market sentiment.
Additionally, key economic data releases will be closely monitored for signs of an economic slowdown. The U.S. retail sales report, set for release on Monday (Tuesday AEDT), will provide insights into consumer spending trends.
