US stock futures drop after government shutdown nears; PCE data, FedEx in focus

US stock futures fell Friday, ahead of the release of key inflation data and after a stop-gap spending bill backed by President-elect Donald Trump was voted down in Congress, raising the prospect of a government shutdown.  

At 05:30 ET (10:30 GMT), Dow Jones Futures fell xx points, or 0.2%, S&P 500 Futures dropped xx points, or 0.2%, and Nasdaq 100 Futures slipped xx points, or 0.2%. US government shutdown looms

The bill was assembled at the eleventh hour by policymakers to include Trump’s demands for higher government spending and a raised debt ceiling. But the spending bill was rejected in a 174-235 vote in the House of Representatives, with several Republican senators also openly defying the President-elect. 

The new bill replaced a bipartisan deal to approve government spending, after Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk came out in opposition of the old deal. 

Government funding is set to expire at midnight on Friday, marking the beginning of a partial government shutdown that could disrupt operations ranging from border security to travel. The disruption is expected to be particularly dire amid increased travel trends during the holiday season. 

A government shutdown presents another layer of uncertainty for Wall Street, which was already nursing steep losses from earlier this week after the Federal Reserve cut interest rates but flagged a substantially slower pace of rate cuts in 2025. 

The S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average are down more than 3% week to date, while the NASDAQ Composite is off more than 2% in the period. PCE data due

Focus this Friday is also on key upcoming PCE price index data, the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, which is likely to factor into the outlook for interest rates.

Upside risks to inflation are back on the Fed's radar, with US consumer prices increasing by the most in seven months in November, and the potential for the new Donald Trump administration to authorise trade and tax policies that many see as inflationary.

The November core PCE index  is expected to rise 2.9% on an annual basis, up from 2.8% the prior month, while the monthly figure is seen climbing 0.2%, a slip from 0.3% in October.  FedEx to spin off freight business

In corporate news, FedEx (NYSE:FDX ) stock soared over 7% after the delivery giant reported better-than-expected earnings in the fiscal second quarter, while also announcing that it’s planning on spinning off its freight business.

Nike (NYSE:NKE ) stock slumped 4% after the sportswear retailer flagged "severe issues" in its guidance, despite second-quarter results topping expectations. FedEx to spin off freight business

Crude prices fell Friday, on track for hefty weekly losses, as a stronger dollar and persistent concerns over slowing demand weighed. 

By 03:50 ET, the US crude futures (WTI) dropped 2.3% to $68.97 a barrel, while the Brent contract fell 0.6% to $72.47 a barrel.

The benchmarks are on course for weekly losses of around 3% after the dollar soared to a two-year high in the wake of the Federal Reserve turning hawkish about cutting interest rates in 2025.

A stronger dollar makes oil more expensive for holders of other currencies, while a slower pace of rate cuts could dampen economic growth and trim oil demand.

On the demand front, limited details on more stimulus measures in China and signs of cooling US fuel demand also weighed. 

(Ambar Warrick contributed to this article.)

Source: Investing.com