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Futures Slip as Geopolitical Tensions Overshadow Strong Bank Earnings

  US stock futures edged lower as investors balanced upbeat bank earnings against rising geopolitical unease tied to escalating tensions involving Iran. Contracts tied to the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all traded in the red, signaling a cautious start to the trading day. Major banks delivered solid quarterly results, with strong trading revenue and resilient consumer activity helping lift sentiment in the financial sector. Yet the optimism was tempered by concerns that potential US responses to developments in Iran could inject fresh volatility into global markets. Energy prices climbed as traders braced for possible disruptions. The pullback comes at a moment when investors are already navigating a crowded landscape of economic data, inflation readings, and policy uncertainty. With markets on edge, even strong corporate performance wasn’t enough to counter the broader risk-off mood.

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Wall Street Seeks First Gains of 2024 in Modest Pre-Market Trading

 

Wall Street is seeking its first gains of 2024, with the benchmark S&P 500 index ticking modestly higher in premarket trading on Thursday. The index has fallen in four of the past five sessions, as investors have grown increasingly cautious about the U.S. central bank’s expected pivot to rate cuts this year and how quickly these might be implemented. While the Fed is widely expected to keep rates on hold in January, traders have priced in a 67% chance of a 25 basis point rate cut in March, as per CMEGroup’s FedWatch tool. The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index ended down 53.56 points, or 0.3%, at 20,818.58 on Wednesday.

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