U.S. Stock Markets Rally Amid Trade War Concerns

U.S. stock index futures rose as President Trump retreated from imposing tariffs against Europe. This eased fears of a trade war, driving the S&P 500 to its largest gain in two months. Investors remain laser-focused on upcoming economic data and fourth-quarter earnings reports.

U.S. stock index futures rose on Thursday, highlighting fresh buying momentum on Wall Street after President Donald Trump backed away from tariff threats against European nations, easing fears of a global trade war.

The main U.S. stock indexes rebounded on Wednesday, with the benchmark S&P 500 posting its biggest one-day percentage gain in two months. This followed Trump's decision to ditch tariffs as leverage over Greenland, suggesting a possible deal to resolve the dispute over the Danish territory. Trump's trade threats had initially unsettled global markets, but investor confidence returned after his policy reversal.

The CBOE Volatility Index, known as Wall Street's fear gauge, fell from a two-month high seen on Tuesday. Early Thursday, S&P 500 e-minis rose by 41.75 points or 0.60%, while Nasdaq 100 e-minis climbed 219.5 points or 0.87%. Dow e-minis added 201 points, or 0.41%. Investors are watching for a trove of U.S. economic data and earnings reports, including GDP figures and key corporate results.