US stock futures were slightly lower in early trading as investors turned cautious ahead of key economic data and corporate earnings expected this week.
Market attention is focused on the December Consumer Price Index (CPI), an important inflation report that can influence future interest rate decisions by the Federal Reserve. If inflation remains sticky, interest rates could stay higher for longer.
The fourth-quarter earnings season is also set to begin, led by major banks including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and Citigroup. Their results will offer clues on how companies managed higher interest rates and ongoing economic uncertainty.
Ahead of these events, futures linked to the Dow Jones, S&P 500 and Nasdaq were trading marginally lower, showing a cautious mood rather than sharp selling.
Markets have been volatile in recent weeks as investors scale back expectations of early interest rate cuts, following strong economic data. For now, traders are adopting a wait-and-watch approach, looking for clearer signals from inflation numbers and earnings updates.
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