US futures edged lower on Wednesday evening (Thursday AEDT) following a mixed trading session, as equity markets prepared for a closure in honour of former President Jimmy Carter.
By 10:15 am AEDT (11:15 pm GMT), Dow futures remained steady, while S&P 500 futures declined by 0.1% and Nasdaq futures slipped by 0.2%.
In after-hours trading, Costco shares rose 1.9% after reporting December net sales of $27.52 billion, a 9.9% increase from the previous year.
Penguin Solutions surged 15.6%, exceeding earnings estimates for the first quarter, while Avadel Pharma tumbled 23.4% after 2025 revenue guidance disappointed investors.
The release of the Federal Reserve’s December meeting minutes added to market caution. Officials expressed concerns over persistent inflation risks and uncertainty surrounding policies expected from the incoming Trump administration.
Sentiment further weakened after CNN reported that Trump is considering invoking the International Economic Emergency Powers Act to impose new tariffs.
Investors are now looking ahead to the December nonfarm payrolls report, set to be released on Friday (Saturday AEDT), which could provide further insight into the health of the U.S. labour market.