U.S. Futures Rise as Markets Await Tech Earnings, Fed Meeting, and Tariff Developments

U.S. equity futures rose on Sunday evening, signaling a positive start to a week expected to be dominated by earnings reports from major technology companies, a Federal Reserve policy meeting, and developments in international trade policy. Futures linked to the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 180 points, or 0.4%, while S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures also posted gains.

The uptick follows President Donald Trump's announcement that the United States and the European Union have agreed to lower tariffs to 15%, easing previous threats of higher tariffs on imported goods. Recent agreements with trading partners such as Japan and Indonesia have also contributed to market optimism.

Last week, all three major U.S. stock indexes closed with gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 208.01 points to 44,901.92, the S&P 500 marked its fifth consecutive record close at 6,388.64, and the Nasdaq Composite achieved its 15th record close of the year at 21,108.32. Nick Savone of Morgan Stanley's Institutional Equity Division noted that strong earnings, positive trade developments, and "bullish AI Action Plan" commentary have supported market enthusiasm.

More than 150 S&P 500 companies are scheduled to report quarterly results this week, including Meta Platforms and Microsoft on Wednesday, followed by Amazon and Apple on Thursday. Investors are expected to focus on company commentary regarding artificial intelligence spending and future guidance.

The Federal Reserve will conclude its two-day policy meeting on Wednesday, with expectations that interest rates will remain unchanged. Market participants will look for indications about the possibility of a rate cut at the September meeting.

Attention will also be on inflation and employment data, including the June personal consumption expenditures price index, which is forecast to show a slight increase in inflation. Several labor market reports are due, culminating in Friday's July jobs report, with economists projecting the addition of 115,000 jobs and a slight rise in the unemployment rate to 4.2%.