On Tuesday, stock futures indicated potential losses, as investors grappled with the uncertainty surrounding U.S. President Donald Trump’s impending tariffs.
Initial reports indicating that the White House intended to limit the tariffs set for April 2 initially boosted stocks this week, yet the market remains tense following nearly two months of Trump frequently altering his trade stance.
“I still prefer to sell into equity rallies in the short run,” said Pepperstone strategist Michael Brown. “Trade-related uncertainty is expected to stay high for a while longer, with April 2 likely marking the beginning rather than the conclusion of this protracted tariff issue.”
Later, consumer confidence data from the Conference Board could provide insights into current sentiments, with FactSet consensus predicting that the monthly survey may reflect a decline in economic optimism for March.
After a Monday rally, the three major U.S. indices appeared likely to relinquish some of their gains. Futures tracking the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 56 basis points, or 0.1%. S&P 500 futures were down by 0.2%, while Nasdaq 100 futures decreased by 0.4%.
Bond yields remained relatively stable, with the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note yielding 4.349%. The WSJ Dollar Index, which measures the dollar against 16 other currencies, rose by 0.1%.
