US Stock Futures Steady as CPI Eases and Trade Tensions Cool

U.S. stock futures held steady Tuesday evening following a positive close for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, driven by easing inflation and optimism over the U.S.-China trade deal. S&P 500 Futures edged up 0.1% to 5,908.0, Dow Jones Futures gained 0.1% to 42,265.0, while Nasdaq 100 Futures hovered near flat at 21,290.50.

Earlier in the day, the S&P 500 climbed 0.7% and the Nasdaq surged 1.6%, fueled by a softer-than-expected April CPI reading. Meanwhile, the Dow dipped 0.6%, pressured by an 18% drop in UnitedHealth (NYSE:UNH) after it withdrew its full-year outlook and CEO Andrew Witty announced his resignation amid rising medical costs.

The consumer price index rose 2.3% year-over-year in April, slightly below forecasts of 2.4%. Month-over-month inflation came in at 0.2%, under the expected 0.3%, and core inflation also rose just 0.2%, easing pressure on the Federal Reserve to tighten policy.

Adding to market cheer, the U.S. and China agreed to a 90-day reduction in tariffs. The U.S. will slash tariffs on Chinese goods from 145% to 30%, while China will cut its own from 125% to 10%. Lower trade tensions are seen as supportive of economic growth and may reduce inflationary risks.

Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) jumped 5.6% after confirming a major AI chip sale to Saudi firm Humain for a planned 500 MW data center. Boeing (NYSE:BA) rose 2% as China lifted a ban on plane deliveries. Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) surged ahead of its May 19 inclusion in the S&P 500, while Under Armour (NYSE:UAA) gained on strong quarterly revenue.