US pre-open: Futures edge higher ahead of CPI release
By Iain Gilbert
Date: Thursday 18 Dec 2025
(Sharecast News) - Wall Street futures were in the green ahead of the bell on Thursday as market participants patiently awaited the release of last month's consumer price index.
As of 1225 GMT, Dow Jones futures were up 0.16%, while S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 futures had the indices opening 0.42% and 0.75% firmer, respectively.
The Dow closed 228.29 points lower on Wednesday as traders continued to cycle out of tech stocks amid concerns about high capital costs associated with massive data center deals.
Thursday's primary focus will undoubtedly be November's consumer price index at 1330 GMT, with economists expecting to see headline inflation growing at a 3.1% clip year-on-year, up from 3.0% in the prior month. Today's CPI reading will also mark the first consumer inflation report to be published since the Federal government shutdown ended back in November.
Elsewhere on the macro front, weekly jobless claims data and December's Philadelphia Fed manufacturing survey will also be publishe at 1330 GMT, while the Kansas Fed's December manufacturing index will follow at 1600 GMT.
In the corporate space, Olive Garden parent company Darden Restaurants said total sales increased 7.3% to $3.1bn in the three months ended 23 November, fuelled by a blended same-restaurant sales increase of 4.3% and sales from 30 net new restaurants, while professional services firm Accenture posted first quarter earnings of $3.94 per share, $0.20 ahead of analysts' expectations, while revenues of $18.7bn were also ahead of the $18.51bn expected on the Street.
Still to come, Nike and FedEx were both slated to report their latest quarterly earnings after the close.
Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com
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