S&P 500 Today: Futures Edge Higher Ahead of Delayed CPI as AI Spending Jitters Grip Wall Street (Dec. 18, 2025)
As of 5:45 a.m. ET on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, the S&P 500 is set up for a potentially volatile session: U.S. stock futures are modestly higher, but investors are walking into a rare combination of catalysts—a delayed inflation report shaped by the recent government shutdown, a packed slate of global central-bank decisions, and fresh earnings momentum from Micron after a bruising, tech-led selloff. Reuters+2Saxo Bank+2 Below is what’s driving the index today, what the latest forecasts and market commentary say, and which levels and events traders are watching most closely.