U.S. Stock Index Futures Steady After Record Highs

U.S. stock index futures steadied on Monday evening after Wall Street reached record highs, fueled by optimism surrounding Donald Trump's election victory. Market focus is now on upcoming inflation data.

Futures showed slight declines as Wall Street's rally appeared to be slowing. The S&P 500 Futures fell to 6,028.00 points, while Nasdaq 100 Futures steadied at 21,208.75 points. Dow Jones Futures dipped 0.1% to 44,394.0 points due to lower trading volumes, attributed to Veterans Day.

CPI Data and Fed's Actions Awaited

Investor caution grew ahead of key Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation data, which is expected to show steady levels for October. Persistent inflation could delay the Federal Reserve's interest rate cuts. The Fed recently cut rates by 25 basis points and emphasized a data-driven approach to future easing.

Market speculation suggests a 70.7% likelihood of another rate cut in December, while a 29.3% chance exists for rates to remain unchanged. Further insight is anticipated from several Fed officials speaking this week.

Wall Street Rally Cools

Despite achieving record highs, Wall Street’s ascent appears to be moderating as investors evaluate the economic implications of a second Trump presidency. Analysts predict that Trump's protectionist policies in trade and immigration might lead to higher long-term inflation and sustained interest rates.

On Monday, the S&P 500 closed up 0.1% at 6,001.35 points, the NASDAQ Composite rose 0.1% to 19,303.57 points, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased 0.7% to 44,293.13 points. The Dow's gains were fueled by investments in sectors anticipated to benefit from Trump's expansionary policies.