High Stakes Await as U.S. Awaits Crucial Economic Rulings

U.S. stock futures remained steady on Friday, with investors cautious before a key jobs report and a Supreme Court ruling on tariffs. Markets anticipate heightened volatility if tariffs are struck down, while a focus on December's job data emerges following a historic government shutdown.

U.S. stock index futures stayed largely unchanged on Friday as investors exercised caution ahead of two pivotal events: a Supreme Court ruling on President Donald Trump's tariffs and a crucial nonfarm payrolls report. Traders anxiously await the court's decision, fearing market volatility if the tariffs are overturned.

The Supreme Court's ruling could impact government revenues, but Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressed greater concern about Trump's leverage loss. Economists predict December's nonfarm payrolls data, released before market opening, to show a moderate job increase of 60,000, with the unemployment rate slightly dipping to 4.5%.

Major indices like Dow E-minis, S&P 500 E-minis, and Nasdaq 100 E-minis showed marginal gains in the early morning trading, buoyed by sectors like consumer discretionary and mining. Despite mixed outcomes in tech stocks, the Dow is set to achieve its largest weekly gain since November, driven by positive industry performances.

(With inputs from agencies.)