Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.
Stock futures rose Wednesday night as investors looked ahead to the September payroll report due later this week.
Linked futures contracts Dow Jones Industrial Average He added 40 points, or less than 0.1%. S&P 500 futures It advanced by 0.1%, while Nasdaq 100 futures It rose about 0.2%.
In after-hours trading, denim maker Levi Strauss Down nearly 10% after posting mixed results for its fiscal third quarter. The company also announced that it is considering selling its Dockers business, which would lead to a decline in the overall business.
October trading got off to a rocky start this month, as rising tensions in the Middle East dampened investor enthusiasm. Stocks fell on Tuesday after Iran launched a missile attack on Israel. Investors are bracing for more uncertainty as Israel begins a ground operation in Lebanon.
The three major US indices on Wednesday finished slightly above the flat line. The S&P 500 added just 0.01%, while the Nasdaq Composite, which is dominated by technology stocks, rose 0.08%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added about 39 points, or 0.09%.
Private sector hiring was better than expected in September, according to ADP data released Wednesday.
More labor market data awaits investors on Thursday, with initial unemployment claims released. The main event for traders — and the Federal Reserve, which has begun its rate-cutting cycle — is the September payrolls report, due Friday morning.
“While the stock market grapples with a variety of concerns — including escalating tensions in the Middle East, a port strike, and election uncertainty — liquidity is key, and there is plenty of it now that the Fed has begun cutting interest rates. .. This means that markets can continue to rise, said Mary Ann Bartels, chief investment strategist at Sanctuary Wealth.
She added: “Embrace the volatility of October, as there is still plenty of fuel in this bull market.”
