07.08.202611:28:42UTC+00US Futures Trade Muted

U.S. equity futures were little changed on Friday, mirroring modest moves in energy and bond markets ahead of the release of the July employment report. Futures tied to the S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and Nasdaq 100 traded slightly higher.

Consensus forecasts point to an 80,000 increase in non-farm payrolls and an unchanged unemployment rate, signaling continued labor-market resilience and reinforcing expectations that the Federal Reserve could raise interest rates at its next meeting.

While the jobs report remains a key data point, recent moves in energy prices have exerted a greater influence on policy expectations. Rising inflation concerns tied to higher energy costs have prompted a series of more hawkish comments from FOMC officials.

SpaceX extended yesterday’s rebound even as $101 billion worth of its shares came off post-IPO lockup restrictions. Elsewhere, Sandisk and Western Digital traded sharply higher in premarket action following yesterday’s earnings-driven selloff, underscoring ongoing volatility in the chip sector. Berkshire Hathaway shares were little changed ahead of the company’s earnings release tomorrow.