Stocks futures have made little progress early Friday morning as investors wait for the highly anticipated January jobs report, set to release at 8:30 a.m. ET. The Dow Jones Industrial Average’s futures rose 37 points or 0.08%, while S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures traded near the flatline.
Amazon’s disappointing guidance on revenue growth for the first quarter has weighed on investor sentiment, with the e-commerce giant’s shares losing 3% in premarket trading. The company forecast revenue growth of 5-9% for the quarter, its weakest growth on record. This outlook overshadowed strong top- and bottom-line beats in the fourth quarter.
Traders are bracing for a potential slowdown in nonfarm payrolls growth, with economists expecting 169,000 new jobs added in January, lower than the 256,000 jobs added in December. The unemployment rate is expected to remain steady at 4.1%.
Despite the cautious mood, stocks have managed to rebound from Monday’s sell-off, which followed President Donald Trump’s announcement of 10% tariffs on China. Investors are now focusing on the market’s “wild card” nature, with CEO Barbara Doran warning of volatility and high valuations.
Citi upgraded Hershey’s stock to a neutral rating, citing the chocolate manufacturer’s improved underlying sales trends and a reasonable floor for growth in 2026. Meanwhile, individual investors have become increasingly bearish, with pessimism on stocks over the next six months reaching a 15-month high.
As the market navigates uncertainty, some analysts are likening it to a “Cat in the Hat” scenario, where multiple asset classes interact and create chaos. Peter Atwater warns that this volatility may eventually lead to a mess, as investors become complacent and underestimate the risks.
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/06/stock-market-today-live-updates.html