Stock Futures Slip as Investors Wait on Jobs Data

Stock Futures Slip as Investors Wait on Jobs Data

U.S. stocks were edging lower on Friday, as investors waited on a monthly jobs number that could help determine if the Federal Reserve has any scope to cut interest rates this year.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is set to publish the January nonfarm payrolls report at 8.30 a.m. Eastern Time. Economists expect the data to show that the U.S. added 170,000 jobs last month, according to FactSet. A lower reading than that could boost stocks, because it would strengthen the case for the Fed to support the labor market by slashing rates later this year.

The jobs figures come at the end of another wild week for markets. Stocks slumped Monday as Donald Trump’s tariffs spooked markets, but cooling trade tensions and solid enough Big Tech earnings have helped them pare back their losses since then, with the benchmark S&P 500 index now trading less than 1% off its previous all-time high.