United States stock futures moved higher on Thursday evening (Friday AEDT) as investors looked ahead to February’s nonfarm payrolls report following a sharp sell-off in the previous session.
By 10:35 am AEDT (11:35 pm GMT) Dow Jones Industrial Average futures, S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq 100 futures advanced 0.1%, 0.3%, and 0.5% respectively.
The modest rebound follows a turbulent Thursday session, during which major benchmark averages resumed their downturn as investor concerns over President Donald Trump’s tariff policies persisted.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 427.5 points or 1%, the S&P 500 lost 104.1 points or 1.8%, and the Nasdaq Composite slid 2.6%.
Market volatility has been fueled by ongoing uncertainty over U.S. trade policy. Trump announced on Thursday that a range of Canadian and Mexican goods covered under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) would be exempt from newly imposed tariffs until 2 April, however, the move failed to generate a sustained rally.
Attention now turns to February’s nonfarm payrolls report, which could provide fresh insights into the strength of the U.S. economy. Market are expecting an increase of 160,000 jobs, with the unemployment rate projected to remain steady at 4%.
