US stock futures were little changed Tuesday as investors continue to wait for more clarity on President Trump’s tariff plan. Trump has promised to impose tariffs, leading to uncertainty whether these will be targeted and narrow, or broad and aggressive. Over the weekend, Trump indicated his tariffs would “start with all countries,” and reports suggested he was urging his advisors to adopt a more aggressive stance.
The ambiguity regarding whether Trump will follow through with his aggressive tariff rhetoric has contributed to market volatility. Economists predict that if the tariffs are as severe as suggested, the economy could slow down and inflation might increase.
Investors await tariff clarity
“Regardless of what the administration announces, investors might view it as ‘Clarity Day,'” said Stifel Chief Washington Policy Strategist Brian Gardner. “We caution, however, that any relief rally should be taken with a grain of salt. We expect the tariff announcement will probably be more about a restructuring of the American economy than some sort of negotiating tactic.”
As of 6:05 a.m. ET, blue-chip Dow futures slipped 0.04%; the broad S&P 500 gained 0.11%; and the tech-heavy Nasdaq added 0.25%.
PVH Corporation and Progress Software both reported earnings that beat analysts’ estimates. PVH showed strong performance in the final three months of last year, while Progress Software exceeded expectations in the first quarter of its fiscal year and anticipates its full-year earnings per share to top forecasts.
