On January 2, 2025, U.S. stock futures remained mostly unchanged following a challenging trading day on Wall Street, driven by concerns over inflation after the release of new economic data. The S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, and Dow Jones Industrial Average futures hovered around the flatline, reflecting anxiety over the U.S. services sector’s performance in December, as reported by the Institute for Supply Management. While the services index indicated robust activity, it also revealed rising prices, intensifying worries about persistent inflation and interest rate policies from the Federal Reserve. On Tuesday, the Nasdaq Composite experienced the most significant decline, dropping nearly 2%, with Nvidia leading tech losses after a 6% fall. Other major firms, such as Tesla and Meta, also declined by around 4% and 2%, respectively. The data contributed to a surge in Treasury yields, particularly the 10-year note, which hit its highest level since April. Despite these fluctuations, Ayako Yoshioka from Wealth Enhancement Group maintained an optimistic outlook for 2025, foreseeing potential market volatility as buying opportunities. Investors are now anticipating upcoming reports on private payrolls and jobless claims, along with the release of the Fed’s December meeting minutes.
