US stock futures stepped higher on Friday as Wall Street digested the latest signs President Trump’s trade war could be entering a more conciliatory phase as the US heads into talks with China.
Dow Jones Industrial Average futures (YM=F) moved up 0.1%, while S&P 500 futures (ES=F) rose 0.3%. Contracts on the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 (NQ=F) led the advance, gaining 0.4%.
Markets are focused on the US-China trade talks in Geneva this weekend, following a rally in stocks on Thursday as Trump unveiled a US-UK trade deal. His administration is weighing whether to lower tariffs below 60% during the talks as a first step that China might match, Bloomberg reported.
The president this week has maintained an optimistic tone about the talks with China, saying they would be “substantive.” “It’s coming down,” he said about the current 145% tariff on Chinese imports.
Read more: The latest on Trump’s tariffs
“You better go out and buy stock now,” Trump said on Thursday, pointing to the prospect of more trade negotiations as well as a tax bill making its way through Congress.
On the earnings front, shares of Expedia (EXPE) slid in premarket trading after the online booking platform missed revenue estimates. The company said US demand flagged in the quarter, joining others in the travel industry bracing for a slowdown amid tariff uncertainty.
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