US stock futures slipped today as investors weighed concerns about trade tariffs and defense spending cuts. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 indexes were expected to fall around 0.2%. Meanwhile, gold hit a fresh record high, indicating optimism about the economy. However, shares of Palantir Technologies Inc. dropped significantly after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced plans to cut military spending by 8% over the coming years, impacting defense contractors like BAE and Qinetiq.
Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-19/stock-market-today-dow-s-p-live-updates