Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on March 17, 2026 in New York City, USA.
Brendan McDiarmid | Reuters
Stock futures traded near a flat line Tuesday night as traders awaited the Federal Reserve’s decision on interest rate policy.
Futures linked to the Dow Jones Industrial Average Lost 39 points (0.08%). S&P500 futures Although it fell by 0.04%, Nasdaq 100 futures It advanced by 0.05%.
Major U.S. stock averages rose on Tuesday, but closed at session highs on higher oil prices. of S&P500 It ended the session about 0.3% higher. Nasdaq Composite It rose by nearly 0.5%. of Dow Added 46.85 points (0.1%).
President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday that the United States does not need help from NATO allies in the Middle East. The president’s comments came after he suggested on Monday that a coalition could be formed to help protect ships attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
Oil prices continued to rise, with West Texas Intermediate futures up nearly 3% to close at $96.21. North Sea Brent futures rose 3.2% to settle at $103.42, the highest close since August 2022. A series of attacks by Iran on energy infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates also raised concerns about crude oil and fuel shipments.
Investors are now focused on the Fed’s interest rate decision, expected on Wednesday. Markets expect the central bank to keep interest rates unchanged in the range of 3.5% to 3.75%. Traders are watching for any guidance from Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on whether oil prices could influence future monetary policy.
“Markets continue to trade with some hesitation ahead of the Fed’s decision (Wednesday) and higher oil prices,” said Anthony Saglimbene, chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial. “While the Fed is likely to keep interest rates on hold (Wednesday), investors will be watching how policymakers frame the Iran conflict in the context of inflation risks and the potential impact on the growth outlook.”
Sagrinbene also said he believes a healthy earnings backdrop also supports the fundamentals of U.S. stocks, a development that investors may be watching closely this week amid growing geopolitical uncertainty related to Iran and concerns about disruption in artificial intelligence.
Jeff Buchbinder, chief equity strategist at LPL, similarly agreed that a strong economy, “more reasonable” valuations and good company fundamentals continue to support investor sentiment.
In addition to the upcoming Fed decision, traders are also awaiting the release of February’s producer price index. The Dow Jones consensus calls for a 0.3% rise.
Pay attention in terms of profits micron technologyas the chipmaker is scheduled to release its latest quarterly results after the bell on Wednesday. The stock has tumbled this year, rising nearly 62% as demand for high-bandwidth memory soars.
