United States stock futures edged lower on Wednesday night (Thursday AEDT) after the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at a fresh low for 2026, as inflation concerns continued to weigh on investor sentiment.
By 9:55 am AEDT (10:55 pm GMT), futures tied to the Dow, the S&P 500, and the Nasdaq 100 were each down around 0.3%.
In extended deals, shares of Micron Technology fell 4.7% despite the memory chipmaker reporting a sharp increase in revenue, driven by a global supply shortage in memory components.
The cautious tone follows a weak session on Wall Street, where the Dow dropped roughly 768 points, or 1.6%, to its lowest closing level of the year. The S&P 500 declined 1.4%, while the Nasdaq Composite slid 1.5%.
Energy markets remained a key focus, with Brent crude climbing above $111 a barrel after settlement. Meanwhile, West Texas Intermediate crude futures briefly moved back above the $100 mark.
Markets have come under pressure following a stronger-than-expected producer prices report and updated guidance from the Federal Reserve, which signalled heightened inflation expectations.
The developments have reinforced concerns that the ongoing conflict involving Iran could push the U.S. economy towards a period of slower growth combined with elevated price pressures.
Rising inflation risks have also tempered expectations for monetary easing, despite the Fed maintaining that one interest rate cut remains likely this year.
According to the CME Group FedWatch Tool, markets are currently pricing in a 52% probability that the central bank will keep rates unchanged through 2026.
Investors are now turning their attention to upcoming economic data, with weekly jobless claims figures due for release on Thursday, alongside the Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index.
