U.S. stock futures pointed sharply higher Thursday as investors reassessed the Federal Reserve’s first interest-rate increase in three years and prepared for a fresh round of labor, housing and manufacturing data.
At 5:50 a.m. ET, Dow futures were up 369 points, or 0.7%. S&P 500 futures gained 0.8%, while Nasdaq-100 futures advanced 1.0%. The early rebound followed a negative post-Fed session, but it did not erase the pressure created by elevated interest rates and energy-driven inflation risk. Investing.com
Wednesday’s Close
The S&P 500 fell 33.92 points, or 0.4%, to 7,551.81 on Wednesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 631.21 points, or 1.2%, to 51,461.90. The Nasdaq Composite slipped 3.15 points, or less than 0.1%, to 25,978.42, while the Russell 2000 declined 0.4% to 2,858.81. Associated Press
Stocks turned lower after the Fed announcement as Chair Kevin Warsh emphasized that inflation remains too high and the economy appears to be strengthening.
Fed Raises Rates and Signals Inflation Concern
The Federal Open Market Committee unanimously raised its target range by 25 basis points to 3.75%–4.00%. The official statement said economic activity was expanding at a solid pace, domestic spending remained resilient and inflation was still elevated. Federal Reserve
The Fed’s quarterly projections indicated that the policy rate could rise again to roughly 4.1% later this year. That signal, combined with Warsh’s inflation-focused comments, keeps the path of Treasury yields central to the equity outlook.
The two-year Treasury yield was near 4.72% early Thursday, while the 10-year yield remained around 5.00%. Those levels are high enough to keep pressure on expensive growth stocks and interest-sensitive sectors even as futures rebound. Associated Press
Oil Eases, Dollar Softens and Gold Rebounds
Brent crude fell about 1.2% to $104.60 per barrel in early Thursday trading. Oil nevertheless remained far above its late-February level as restricted flows through the Strait of Hormuz and the closure of a key Saudi pipeline continued to threaten supply. Associated Press
The dollar softened to about ¥155.62, while the euro traded near $1.1474. Spot gold rose 1.2% to $4,312.05 per ounce at 4:48 a.m. ET as the weaker dollar and easing oil prices supported bullion after Wednesday’s selloff. U.S. December gold futures were down 0.8% at $4,351. Reuters via MarketScreener
Premarket Movers
Generac jumped 33.7% before the bell after announcing a long-term agreement to supply Amazon’s global data centers with industrial backup generators. Initial deliveries are expected to total about $2.4 billion across 2027 and 2028, while the agreement could be worth as much as $8 billion.
Nebius climbed 11.1% after notifying customers of broad price increases for its on-demand GPU cloud services, reinforcing expectations for strong artificial-intelligence computing demand and improved pricing power. Investing.com
What to Watch
Initial jobless claims, August housing starts and the Philadelphia Fed manufacturing survey are scheduled for 8:30 a.m. ET. Pending home sales follow at 10:00 a.m. ET. These are scheduled releases, not reported results as of this briefing’s source window. New York Fed economic calendar
Analysis: A futures rebound suggests investors are taking some comfort from the Fed’s willingness to confront inflation, but the market remains exposed to a renewed rise in oil, a sustained 10-year yield above 5%, or economic data strong enough to reinforce expectations for another rate increase. The rally could broaden if yields and energy prices continue to ease; it could fade quickly if either reverses.
Market levels are timestamped to the cited reports available between 4:48 a.m. and 5:50 a.m. ET on September 17, 2026. This article provides general market information only and is not personalized financial advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security.
