US stock futures fell as President Trump’s rapid trade policy shifts kept investors on edge ahead of the next batch of corporate earnings.
Futures attached to the Dow Jones Industrial Average (YM=F) and the benchmark S&P 500 (ES=F) slumped 0.1%. Futures attached to the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (NQ=F) fell 0.2%.
On Monday, US stocks rose on the heels of a remarkably volatile week for markets following news the Trump administration would treat tariffs on key electronics separately from duties on specific countries and would impose them at a later date. The president also floated possible tariff exemptions for car companies, sending auto stocks soaring.
But any clarity emerging on Trump’s trade continued to remain elusive as the president simultaneously pushed forward with plans to place tariffs on pharmaceutical and semiconductor imports.
On Tuesday, in addition to staying vigilant on the trade front, investors will be watching corporate earnings. Bank of America (BAC), Citi (C), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), and PNC (PNC) are set to report their results before the bell.
Traders will remain vigilant for any early signs of how tariff turmoil might affect companies’ bottom lines as well as what — if any — guidance they can provide for future quarters.