US Stock Market Today: S&P 500 Futures Edge Higher As Traders Eye PCE Inflation
The Morning Bull - US Market Morning Update Thursday, Oct, 1 2026
US stock futures are pointing higher this morning, with E-mini S&P 500 contracts up about 0.2% and Nasdaq-100 futures edging into positive territory. The focus is squarely on PCE inflation, the Federal Reserve's preferred cost of living gauge, which is expected to show headline prices up 3.7% over the past year and core at 3.3%. That kind of reading suggests everyday expenses are still rising faster than the Fed would like and keeps the debate on how long borrowing costs stay elevated. Energy driven price pressures in Europe and solid activity data from China put extra attention on rate sensitive sectors such as banks, real estate and smaller US companies that rely more on loans for growth.
With inflation pressure flaring up again from the US to Europe, it helps to focus on sturdier balance sheets and cash flows with 31 resilient stocks with low risk scores
Top Movers
- United Therapeutics (UTHR) jumped 12.55% after a court ruling on patent infringement was viewed as a meaningful positive.
- Cboe Global Markets (CBOE) gained 5.17% after extending exclusive S&P 500 options licensing through 2051.
- Synopsys (SNPS) rose 4.78% following new AI alliances with OpenAI and Amazon on chip design tools.
Is United Therapeutics still a smart investment or just hype? Read our most popular narrative and get all the answers you need.
Top Losers
- Jabil (JBL) fell 10.03% after quarterly results and new fiscal 2027 guidance.
- Cerebras Systems (CBRS) declined 8.87% following recent AI infrastructure partnership headlines.
- Moderna (MRNA) dropped 5.35% after a broker downgrade on valuation and leadership changes.
Look past the noise - uncover the top narrative that explains what truly matters for Moderna's long-term success.
On The Radar
US markets face a tightly focused session with PCE inflation data and high profile earnings from Nike and Accenture setting the tone.
- US PCE inflation on Thursday will spotlight headline and core price pressures that feed directly into the Federal Reserve rate debate.
- Nike (NKE) Q1 2027 earnings on Thursday after the bell highlight how a global consumer brand is managing costs and demand.
- Accenture (ACN) Q4 2026 results on Thursday pre market offer a read on corporate tech and consulting budgets across regions.
- China PMIs through September, with both indices above 50, give context for global demand and supply chain planning.
- OPEC calendar into Sunday keeps energy traders focused on any updates that could influence oil supply expectations.
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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
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