On Sunday night, the US stock futures slightly increased as the investors’ hopes got up for the week which was going to be determined by Nvidia’s forthcoming financial report, the delayed US labor market data, and the renewed uncertainty regarding the Fed’s interest rate decisions. The change in direction was after a lengthy shake-up that included the end of the government shut down after 43 days, the volatility in the tech sector, and the drastic descent of Bitcoin.

Futures Continue to Climb before Big Impact Economic Data

The futures relating to S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 went up by 0.3% and 0.5%, respectively, while the futures for Dow Jones Industrial Average stayed the same. Giants in the tech industry—Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Broadcom— have caused the Nasdaq to be sluggish, but the S&P 500 and Dow have not only survived the weekly decline by Theodore but also enjoyed modest gains.

With the delays in reporting now over, investors are shifting their attention to the labor market report for September, which is set to come out on Thursday. This release is likely to yield new information concerning a labor market which is still recovering but has shown signs of being uneven. Still, the officials keep on stating that the data might not be complete since the earlier disturbances.

Fed Rate-Cut Expectations Shift as Earnings Season Peaks

The US Federal Reserve officials have lately sounded more cautious about a December interest rate cut, which has contributed to the uncertainty about the market’s outlook. Their change of heart comes right as traders are getting ready for one of the most eagerly awaited earnings releases of the season—Nvidia’s quarterly report which is due on Wednesday.

A series of major retail earnings including Walmart, Target, Home Depot, Lowes, and Gap will also be important indicators of consumer spending strength as the holiday season approaches.

Crypto Market Sees Harsh Reversal

The volatility in the cryptocurrency market was another factor that added to the tiredness of the week. Bitcoin fell to less than $94,000, thus wiping out almost all of its gains since the beginning of the year when it hit an all-time high of $126,000. The sudden plunge has shaken up the risk appetite and led the investors to switch to safer assets.

Investors Brace for a Critical Week

Difficulties notwithstanding, investors are anxiously waiting to see if this time the markets will not only stabilize after the previous week’s fluctuations but also even gain some strength in the last few weeks of November trading.