U.S. stock futures were mixed on Friday, as the Dow Jones index fell while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 indices rose, following Thursday’s higher close.
Investors are eyeing the August jobs report, scheduled to be released ahead of the opening bell. Benzinga Pro estimates a rebound in the pace of monthly job growth, from a loss of 23,000 jobs in July to a gain of about 56,000 in August.
Tensions remain elevated following a lethal explosion at an Iranian wedding that killed four and injured at least 68. According to Reuters, Weapons experts indicate the damage aligns with a U.S. 500 lb air-dropped bomb, prompting a U.S. military investigation.
Meanwhile, the 10-year Treasury bond yielded 4.76%, and the two-year bond was at 4.34%. The CME Group’s FedWatch tool projections show markets pricing in a 50.2% likelihood of the Federal Reserve hiking interest rates at its September meeting.
| Index | Performance (+/-) |
| Dow Jones | -0.04% |
| S&P 500 | 0.09% |
| Nasdaq 100 | 0.44% |
| Russell 2000 | 0.04% |
The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:SPY) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:QQQ), which track the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100, respectively, were higher in premarket on Friday. The SPY was up 0.089% at $773.86, while the QQQ advanced by 0.42% to $720.66.
Stocks In Focus
UiPath
- UiPath Inc. (NYSE:PATH) declined 10.1% in premarket Friday, after reporting mixed results for the second quarter and raising its FY27 sales guidance.
- Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings indicate that PATH maintains a strong price trend in the short, medium, and long terms.
Lululemon Athletica
- Lululemon Athletica Inc. (NASDAQ:LULU) dropped 18.03% after posting mixed financial results for the second quarter after the closing bell on Thursday. It also lowered its full-year revenue outlook from a range of $11 billion to $11.15 billion to a new range of $10.35 billion to $10.50 billion, versus estimates of $11.04 billion.
- Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings indicate that LULU maintains a strong price trend in the short term and a weak trend in the long and medium terms.
Zscaler
- Zscaler Inc. (NASDAQ:ZS) slipped 4.10% after reporting better-than-expected financial results for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026 and issuing strong guidance for fiscal 2027.
- Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings indicate that ZS maintains a strong price trend in the short and medium term but a weak trend in the long term.
Docusign
- DocuSign Inc. (NASDAQ:DOCU) rose 2.32% after posting upbeat financial results for the second quarter of fiscal 2027 and raising its fiscal 2027 revenue outlook.
- Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings indicate that DOCU maintains a strong price trend in the long, short, and medium terms, with a solid growth score.
American Outdoor Brands
- American Outdoor Brands Inc. (NASDAQ:AOUT) was 24.58% higher after announcing better-than-expected first-quarter fiscal 2027 results
- Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings indicate that AOUT maintains a weak price trend in the short and medium terms but a strong trend in the long term.
Cues From Last Session
Communication services, consumer discretionary, and financial stocks led the S&P 500 higher on Thursday, while energy and materials slipped lower.
| Index | Performance (+/-) | Value |
| Dow Jones | 1.18% | 53,686.11 |
| S&P 500 | 1.06% | 7,747.71 |
| Nasdaq Composite | 1.40% | 26,584.06 |
| Russell 2000 | 0.51% | 2,968.27 |
Insights From Analysts
Brian Rehling, Co-Head of Global Fixed Income and Digital Asset Strategy at Wells Fargo Investment Institute, advises caution regarding the U.S. financial landscape, emphasizing structural budget pressures, elevated federal debt, and persistent inflation headwinds.
Evaluating Treasury buybacks funded by the Treasury General Account (TGA), Rehling dispels concerns of currency debasement while cautioning against overestimating its fiscal relief. He describes the initiative as “more like pulling a few coins from under the couch cushions than installing a money printer in the living room.”
While these measures may temporarily smooth debt operations, Rehling highlights the broader macroeconomic risks facing investors. With national debt exceeding $40 trillion and persistent budget deficits, long-term interest rates remain vulnerable to heavy government borrowing.
He warns that “a little spare cash under the cushions does not fix a much bigger budget problem,” noting that “heavy government borrowing, large deficits, and still-elevated long-term rate risk remain meaningful headwinds.”
Regarding future monetary trends, he points out that market concerns over potential fiscal policies could fuel longer-term inflationary pressures, creating ongoing headwinds across asset classes.
Upcoming Economic Data
Here’s what investors will be keeping an eye on Friday.
- August’s employment report, unemployment rate, and average hourly earnings data will all be out by 8:30 a.m. ET.
Commodities, Crypto, And Global Equity Markets
Crude Oil WTI futures were trading lower in the early New York session by 0.81% to hover around $90.58 per barrel.
Gold Spot US Dollar rose 0.11% to hover around $4,478.19 per ounce. The U.S. Dollar Index spot was 0.16% higher at the 99.0650 level.
Meanwhile, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) was trading 4.30% higher at $81,143.96 per coin over the last 24 hours.
Asian markets were mixed on Friday as China’s CSI 300 and Australia’s ASX 200 indices fell. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng, Japan’s Nikkei 225, South Korea’s Kospi, and India’s Nifty 50 indices rose. European markets were in the red in early trading.
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