U.S. stock futures inched higher on Tuesday morning as investors braced for a slew of earnings reports from major financial and industrial firms. Futures on the Nasdaq 100 (NDX), the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), and the S&P 500 (SPX) were up 0.36%, 0.2%, and 0.26%, respectively, at 3:35 a.m. EST, April 15.
This follows a positive session on Monday, where the Dow Jones, the S&P 500, and the Nasdaq Composite (NDAQ) climbed 0.78%, 0.79%, and 0.64%, respectively.
The rally was fueled by the Trump administration’s move to exempt smartphones, computers, and semiconductors from new tariffs. Further, reports hint at a possible pause on 25% auto tariffs, giving carmakers more time to adapt.
At the same time, the U.S. Commerce Department raised uncertainty after announcing a new probe into imports of semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, citing national security concerns.
Today, companies like Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Bank of America (BAC), Citigroup (C), Interactive Brokers (IBKR), United Airlines (UAL), and PNC Financial (PNC) are scheduled to release their Q1 results before the market opens.
Beyond earnings, investors will focus on the release of March’s Import and Export price indices and the New York Federal Reserve’s Empire State Manufacturing Survey, both due today. These reports will provide further insights into the current economic environment.
Meanwhile, the U.S. 10-year treasury yield was up, floating near 4.393%. Simultaneously, WTI crude oil futures are trending higher, hovering near $62.01 per barrel as of the last check.
Elsewhere, European indices opened higher on Tuesday, driven by hopes of relief from President Trump’s tariff policies for the auto sector.
Asia-Pacific Markets Ended Higher on Tuesday
Most of the Asia-Pacific indices were higher today following gains on Wall Street, driven by President Trump’s exemption of key electronics from new tariffs. However, positive market sentiment was partly offset after the U.S. started investigating semiconductor and pharmaceutical imports tied to Asian supply chains.
At the time of writing, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was up 0.07%. Further, Japan’s Nikkei and Topix indices closed higher by 0.84% and 1%, respectively. Also, China’s Shanghai Composite Index was up 0.15%, while the Shenzhen Component index declined 0.27%.
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