New York, January 16, 2026, 05:56 EST — Premarket
- Dow futures climbed 65 points, following the cash index’s close at 49,442.44 on Thursday.
- Traders are relying on initial earnings reports for guidance as bets on rate cuts remain unsettled.
- U.S. industrial output figures and Fed officials’ remarks will be in focus, even as markets remain closed Monday for MLK Day.
Dow futures edged up early Friday following a bank-driven rally that buoyed the blue-chip index the day before, leaving traders cautiously optimistic ahead of new U.S. data. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures gained 65 points, or 0.13%, standing at 49,704. (Investing)
The Dow jumped 292.81 points, or 0.60%, closing at 49,442.44 on Thursday. The S&P 500 ticked up 0.26%, while the Nasdaq inched 0.25% higher. Investors zeroed in on banks and chipmakers after a two-day retreat. Goldman Sachs surged 4.6%, Morgan Stanley rose 5.8% following strong quarterly profits, and Taiwan Semiconductor’s optimistic growth forecast boosted semiconductor stocks. “It’s the banks and old-school industrials” making waves, said Jake Dollarhide, CEO of Longbow Asset Management. (Reuters)
Why it matters now: earnings season is just ramping up, while the Fed appears in no rush to shift gears. Weekly initial jobless claims dropped to 198,000, beating forecasts, though economists caution that seasonal adjustments are muddying the data. Nancy Vanden Houten, lead U.S. economist at Oxford Economics, said the outlook “is one of at least stable labor market conditions.” (Reuters)
Beyond U.S. borders, risk appetite stayed firm. Asian shares climbed as the AI rally picked up steam. The dollar stayed close to a six-week peak after strong U.S. data prompted traders to dial back bets on imminent Fed rate cuts. Meanwhile, oil and safe-haven metals slipped as tensions around Iran eased. (Reuters)
Traders will turn their attention Friday to the Federal Reserve’s industrial production and capacity utilization figures, set for release at 9:15 a.m. ET. Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman is slated to speak at 11:00 a.m. ET, followed by a panel featuring Governor Michael Barr. (Federal Reserve)
The calendar plays a role since the U.S. cash market closes Monday, January 19, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This extends the break before trading resumes, pushing some position-squaring to Friday’s close. (New York Stock Exchange)
Next week, investors face a packed slate of earnings and news that could shake rates and risk premiums. Reuters’ weekly “Take Five” highlighted key upcoming reports from Netflix, Johnson & Johnson, and Intel. On top of that, political and legal developments loom, potentially influencing trade dynamics and the Fed’s autonomy. (Reuters)
The setup swings both ways. Strong data might push rate-cut bets further out, driving bond yields up and putting pressure on richly valued stocks. On the flip side, any earnings slip could swiftly flip sentiment from “rotation” to “risk-off.”
The next major data point hits at 9:15 a.m. ET with industrial production. Fed speakers will weigh in later this morning. Traders are shifting focus from Monday’s holiday to a busier earnings calendar and the Fed’s January 27–28 meeting.
