U.S. stock futures were largely unchanged Tuesday evening after Wall Street inched higher, supported by stronger expectations of a December Federal Reserve rate cut and a sharp rebound in cryptocurrency markets. By 21:05 ET (02:05 GMT), S&P 500 Futures added 0.1% to 6,849.0, Nasdaq 100 Futures rose 0.1% to 25,639.75, and Dow Jones Futures advanced 0.2% to 47,614.0.
During the regular session, the major indexes built on recent momentum: the Dow gained 0.4%, the S&P 500 climbed 0.3%, and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.6%. The rally reflected growing conviction that the Fed will deliver a 25-basis-point rate cut at its December 9–10 meeting. The CME FedWatch Tool shows the probability at roughly 89%, marking one of the strongest readings yet in the current cycle.
Traders now turn to a series of economic cues that could shape the path of monetary policy. The ADP private payrolls report, due Wednesday, is expected to offer an early assessment of labor market resilience ahead of the more influential government jobs data.
Attention then shifts to Friday’s long-delayed release of the Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index, the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge. Personal income and spending figures will also be published, providing additional insight into consumer strength. Any deviation from expectations could meaningfully alter forecasts for both the timing and scale of rate adjustments.
Crypto Rebound Adds Fuel to Risk Appetite
The broader improvement in investor sentiment followed Bitcoin’s recovery from early-week losses. The world’s largest cryptocurrency climbed back into the mid-$90,000 range, supporting crypto-linked equities and adding momentum to a tech-driven rally.
Markets viewed the rebound as a sign that appetite for higher-risk assets remains intact despite lingering macroeconomic uncertainty. The upswing in digital assets helped reinforce gains across growth-oriented sectors, particularly semiconductors and software.
Key drivers adding support included:
- Strong bid for crypto-exposed stocks
- Renewed confidence in rate-cut trajectories
- Tech-linked momentum carrying over from Monday’s session
Corporate Moves Shake Up After-Hours Trading
Corporate headlines added another layer of activity. Boeing surged 10% after projecting a return to positive free cash flow in 2026 and securing a $104.4 million U.S. Navy contract to repair aircraft displays—an encouraging development for a company seeking to rebuild investor trust.
In after-hours trading, Marvell Technology jumped 10% following its announcement that it will acquire Celestial AI for $3.25 billion, a deal poised to accelerate Marvell’s expansion into next-generation optical interconnects for AI-focused data centers.
Dell Technologies also moved higher after President Donald Trump publicly praised the Dell family for a major philanthropic contribution—an unexpected catalyst that briefly boosted sentiment around the stock.
