US pre-open: Futures steady ahead of key CPI reading
By Iain Gilbert
Date: Friday 24 Oct 2025
(Sharecast News) - Wall Street futures were in the green ahead of the bell on Friday as traders braced for last month's consumer price inflation report.
As of 1200 BST, Dow Jones were up 0.12%, while S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 futures had the indices opening 0.30% and 0.49% firmer, respectively.
The Dow closed 144.20 points higher on Thursday, driven by inflows into tech stocks and some solid third-quarter earnings.
Friday's primary focus will undoubtedly be September's CPI report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics at 1330 BST, with the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge set to be particularly important given the lack of federal data being released amid the ongoing government shutdown.
Last month's CPI, which was originally scheduled to be released on 15 October, will be the last piece of economic data scheduled for release before the Federal Reserve's two-day policy meeting next week, with market participants widely expecting the central bank to lower its benchmark overnight interest rate by another 25 basis points.
Rostro's Joshua Mahony said: "Today brings a rare dose of economic data out of the US, with CPI inflation figures belatedly due for September. Coming ahead of next week's FOMC meeting, the ability of today's release to change the perception of the markets is questionable, with the CME currently pricing a whopping 99% chance of a 25bp cut next week.
"That figure may weaken somewhat with a high inflation print today, but in all likeliness the more questionable meeting comes in January given that markets attach a 55% chance of additional easing."
Elsewhere on the data front, preliminary readings of S&P Global's manufacturing and services PMIs will be published at 1445 BST, while the University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index will follow at 1500 BST.
In the corporate space, Intel reported a quarterly earnings beat in its first earnings report since the White House took up a 10% stake in the company, while Ford said quarterly profits had grown the back of strong sales, but lowered its full-year sales guidance as it warned a first at an aliminium factory would weigh on profits.
Procter & Gamble and Sanofi will both report earnings before the open.
Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com
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