Investors Brace for CPI as U.S. Futures Trade Range-Bound

Friday’s pre-market session opened quietly with U.S. equity futures hovering near flat levels ahead of the September Consumer Price Index report. Dow futures edged 0.09% higher, S&P 500 futures were unchanged, and Nasdaq contracts slipped 0.17%. Market participants expect that sticky inflation could postpone the Federal Reserve’s anticipated rate cuts. Treasury yields steadied around 4.1%, and the dollar index paused after a week of modest gains, reflecting a cautious tone as traders awaited confirmation of cooling price pressures later today.