Key insights
- US stock futures are up as investors await the Fed's rate decision and economic outlook, along with the February PPI data. Rising oil inventories and Middle East tensions add to market uncertainty. The Fed's choice between fighting inflation and protecting growth will significantly impact interest-rate-sensitive sectors like real estate and small-caps, as well as energy stocks. Individual stock movements like Rocket Lab (RKLB) and Tencent Music Entertainment Group (TME) are also noted.
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US stock futures are pointing higher this morning, with contracts tied to the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 both in positive territory, as investors focus on three big themes. First, the Federal Reserve is expected to keep its key interest rate in a 3.5% to 3.75% range, while updating its economic outlook, which matters for borrowing costs on mortgages, credit cards, and business loans. Second, wholesale inflation, measured by the February Producer Price Index and expected around 2.9% headline and 3.7% core, will hint at future price pressures for everyday goods. Third, a 6.6 million barrel jump in US crude oil inventories and ongoing oil volatility tie the Middle East tensions directly to fuel costs. The key question now is whether the Fed prioritises fighting inflation or protecting growth, a choice that could put interest-rate-sensitive areas such as real estate and small-cap stocks on one path, and energy-related sectors on another.
With inflation, rate worries, and oil volatility all in play, focus your watchlist on 76 resilient stocks with low risk scores.
Rocket Lab (RKLB) jumped 10.21% after completing and filing at-the-market equity offerings.
Western Digital (WDC) surged 9.64%.
AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) gained 7.40%.
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Tencent Music Entertainment Group (TME) slid 24.65% after earnings and a new annual dividend of US$0.12 per share.
Credo Technology Group Holding (CRDO) declined 10.97%.
Nebius Group (NBIS) fell 10.41% despite recent large AI cloud contracts and analyst price target increases.
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Central bank policy and a busy earnings slate are set to guide the next few sessions.
Federal Reserve decision on Wednesday will update rate projections and frame how borrowing costs interact with recent oil volatility.
Jabil (JBL) reports Q2 2026 results on Wednesday, giving a closer look at hardware demand and margin resilience.
Micron Technology (MU) posts Q2 2026 results on Wednesday, a key read on memory pricing and capital spending plans.
Accenture (ACN), Darden Restaurants (DRI), Alibaba (BABA) report on Thursday, spanning IT services, US dining, and China consumer trends.
XPeng (XPEV) delivers Q4 2025 numbers on Friday pre market, highlighting EV demand and cost discipline.
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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
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