U.S. stock index futures hovered around the flatline Thursday morning as investors digested mixed signals from Washington and prepared for another round of corporate earnings.

Key Highlights:

  • Dollar Index Rebounds: The U.S. Dollar Index rose 0.3% to 98.405, reversing sharp losses from Wednesday after President Trump clarified he has no plans to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

  • Fed Independence Back in Focus: Markets reacted to brief speculation over Powell’s future. A Trump dismissal would mark a historic first, but his walk-back helped stabilize markets.

  • Earnings Season Builds: Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) is set to report Q2 earnings after market close. Other key names reporting include GE Aerospace (NYSE:GE), PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP), Elevance Health (NYSE:ELV), and Cintas (NASDAQ:CTAS).

  • Data Ahead: Investors await jobless claims and retail sales numbers for signs of consumer strength and to assess future Fed policy direction.

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