S&P 500 futures fall 0.4%

S&P 500 futures fall 0.4%

S&P 500 Futures Decline 0.4% Amid Post-Earnings Correction and Trade Policy Uncertainty

U.S. stock futures fell 0.4% on February 26, 2026, as investors digested mixed earnings reports, geopolitical developments, and lingering concerns over trade policy shifts under the Trump administration according to market analysis. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq had closed the previous session higher for their second consecutive gain, but momentum stalled amid profit-taking and renewed macroeconomic uncertainties as reported.

The decline followed a volatile two-day rally for major indexes, which had rebounded from sharp losses earlier in the week driven by fears of tariffs and AI-related disruptions according to market data. Despite Nvidia's (NVDA) better-than-expected quarterly results—highlighted by CEO Jensen Huang's comment that customers are "racing to invest in AI"—shares only rose marginally premarket, limiting the chipmaker's broader market impact as noted. Conversely, Salesforce (CRM) fell 3% in premarket trading after issuing a below-consensus full-year revenue forecast according to reports.

Geopolitical tensions and trade policy shifts also weighed on sentiment. President Trump announced plans to nominate Kevin Warsh as the next Federal Reserve chair, sparking speculation about potential monetary policy shifts. Warsh, a former Fed governor with a hawkish history, has recently signaled openness to rate cuts—a move aligned with Trump's campaign promises but introducing uncertainty for markets according to market analysis. Meanwhile, Trump's threats of imposing a 50% tariff on Canadian aircraft imports and targeting countries supplying oil to Cuba added to trade policy anxieties as reported.

Commodities reflected mixed trends. Bitcoin retreated from recent highs to $68,200, while gold futures dropped 0.7% below $5,200 an ounce, and silver sank 4% to $87.25 according to market data. West Texas Intermediate crude fell 1.5% to $64.40 per barrel as reported. The U.S. dollar index remained stable at 97.69, reflecting a cautious stance amid policy developments according to analysis.

The S&P 500's January performance ended on a modestly positive note, with a 0.3% gain over the past five days, though the Nasdaq and Dow posted their third consecutive losing weeks as noted. Markets remain focused on upcoming earnings, central bank decisions, and evolving trade dynamics.