U.S. equity-index futures gained as investors wagered that the Federal Reserve will maintain monetary support in coming months while a rebound in the world’s biggest economy stokes inflation fears.
Contracts on the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 gauges pointed to gains after U.S. stocks closed mixed on Friday. The dollar and Treasuries were steady. Bitcoin advanced above $35,000 following another weekend of big swings. The Stoxx Europe 600 struggled amid low volumes, with German, Danish, Norwegian and Swiss markets closed for holidays.
China’s crackdown on commodities speculation weighed on raw-material prices, with steel dropping more than 5% and iron ore tumbling by close to the daily limit. Bloomberg’s industrial metals subindex declined for a fourth day to a one-month low.
Implied volatility for major global indexes remains subdued, suggesting investors aren’t pricing in a surprise from the Fed in the next six months. While market-based gauges of inflation expectations have declined recently, concerns linger that the post-pandemic recovery could stoke price pressures, and some countries also face Covid-19 spikes. Robust corporate earnings, especially in Europe, are underpinning stock prices.
