Wall Street was poised to open with losses again this morning, according to the Associated Press, one day after markets kicked off the new year giving back some of last year’s big gains. Futures for the S&P 500 dipped 0.4% lower before the bell, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average ticked down 0.3%.
Investors are watching for the release of minutes of the Federal Reserve’s last policy meeting later in the day, hoping for signs the central bank will move ahead with interest rate cuts in coming months. That optimism fueled markets late in 2023 as the Fed declined to raise rates at three meetings in a row, with the economy showing continued strength as inflation retreated.
Figures due out later today will show how many job openings U.S. employers were advertising at the end of November, data that the Federal Reserve follows closely. Friday will bring the U.S. government’s monthly tally of job growth across the country.
In other trading, U.S. benchmark crude oil gained 67 cents to $71.05 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, the international standard, added 83 cents to $76.72 per barrel.
The U.S. dollar rose to 142.96 Japanese yen from 141.99 yen.
