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US Stock Market Today: S&P 500 Futures Rise amid Cooling Costs, Resilient Housing Data

Simply Wall St · 1d ago

The Morning Bull - US Market Morning Update Tuesday, Dec, 16 2025

US stock futures are pointing higher this morning, with contracts tied to the S&P 500 up about half a percent, as investors weigh cooling but still elevated business costs against signs of resilience in housing. The latest New York manufacturing survey slipped back into contraction at minus 3.9, which means factories in that region are pulling back a bit, but it also showed that price pressures are easing, a mild positive for inflation. At the same time, a key homebuilder confidence index climbed to 39, an eight month high, hinting that housing activity may be stabilizing even as demand remains weak. The dilemma now is whether this mix of softer manufacturing and tentative housing strength gives the Federal Reserve enough comfort to keep rates steady, which could be constructive for rate sensitive areas such as real estate and small cap stocks, or whether stubborn cost pressures mean borrowing costs stay high for longer, maintaining pressure on more economically exposed parts of the market.

With rates likely staying higher for longer, now is the moment to load up on dividend stocks with yields > 3% before the next leg of volatility hits.

Top Movers

Is Bristol-Myers Squibb still a smart investment or just hype? Read our most popular narrative and get all the answers you need.

CMCSA 1-Year Stock Price Chart
CMCSA 1-Year Stock Price Chart

Top Losers

  • AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) dropped 11.59% as investors rotated out of speculative space telecom names after recent volatility.
  • ServiceNow (NOW) slid 11.54% as late stage talks to buy Armis for up to 7B raised deal concerns.
  • Rocket Lab (RKLB) fell 9.89% after profit taking following its successful dedicated JAXA launch mission.

Look past the noise - uncover the top narrative that explains what truly matters for ServiceNow's long-term success.

ASTS 1-Year Stock Price Chart
ASTS 1-Year Stock Price Chart

On The Radar

Earnings from transport, consumer, and chip bellwethers will dominate the next two sessions and may influence sector specific sentiment.

  • FedEx (FDX) reports Q2 results on Thursday, with package volumes and margin trends in focus for global trade and freight demand.
  • NIKE (NKE) posts Q2 earnings on Thursday, highlighting China recovery, inventory discipline, and direct to consumer profitability.
  • Accenture (ACN) issues Q1 numbers on Thursday, providing insight into enterprise tech spending and cloud transformation budgets.
  • Micron Technology (MU) delivers Q1 results on Wednesday, where memory pricing and AI server demand will help frame the semiconductor cycle.
  • Darden Restaurants (DRI) reports Thursday morning, with traffic trends and menu pricing offering a read on middle income diners.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.