US Futures Edge Lower on Inflation Fears
2026-03-18 23:55
By
Jam Kaimo Samonte
1 min. read
US stock futures edged lower on Thursday after the major averages came under heavy selling pressure in the previous session as inflation concerns gripped Wall Street.
Oil prices surged again, with Brent futures trading around $110 a barrel following the latest attacks on energy infrastructure across the Middle East as the Iran war dragged on.
Markets were also unsettled by hotter-than-expected US PPI data and rising inflation projections from the Federal Reserve, which narrowed the scope for interest rate cuts.
Traders now expect the central bank to hold rates steady throughout the year, even as the Fed signaled that one rate reduction remains possible.
In regular trading on Wednesday, the Dow fell 1.63% to its lowest level since November, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.36% and 1.46%, respectively.
In corporate news, Micron Technology slid 5% in extended trading despite reporting a sharp increase in quarterly revenue.