S&P 500 Futures Climb Ahead of Packed Earnings Week; U.S.-Japan Trade Talks Under Pressure

U.S. stock futures edged higher on Monday morning, signaling a cautious optimism as Wall Street gears up for a crucial earnings week. With more than 85% of S&P 500 companies yet to report, investors are positioning themselves ahead of tech heavyweight results from Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) and Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA), among others.

At 03:38 ET, Dow futures were up 118 points, or 0.3%, S&P 500 futures gained 15 points (0.2%), and the Nasdaq 100 added 61 points (0.3%).

Corporate Earnings Take Center Stage The week kicks off with Verizon (NYSE:VZ) reporting Monday, followed by Texas Instruments (NASDAQ:TXN) and Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) on Tuesday. The most anticipated reports arrive Wednesday with Google-parent Alphabet and Tesla, while Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) and Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) close out the week.

So far, 12% of the S&P 500 has reported earnings, with 86% beating EPS estimates and 67% topping revenue forecasts, indicating resilience even as macro pressures loom.

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Global Tensions Add Uncertainty Markets remain wary of ongoing U.S.-EU trade friction as the European Union prepares new countermeasures in case tariff negotiations with Washington stall. A proposed hike to minimum tariffs of 15–20%—well above the current 10% baseline—is weighing on sentiment.

Meanwhile, in Asia, Japan’s political landscape shifted after Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s ruling coalition lost its upper house majority, raising questions about the stability of upcoming U.S.-Japan trade talks. The loss follows a significant defeat in last October’s lower house election, intensifying speculation around Ishiba’s leadership.

Crypto Stocks Get a Boost from U.S. Legislation Crypto-related equities rallied after the U.S. House passed a bill to develop a regulatory framework for digital assets. Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) rose 2.2%, and Robinhood (NASDAQ:HOOD) jumped 4.1% in premarket trade, reflecting investor confidence in a more structured crypto landscape.

You can track crypto market sentiment using the Cryptocurrency News API for curated headlines across the industry.

**Conclusion:**With inflation pressures, earnings surprises, and geopolitical risks all converging this week, volatility may spike. Investors should brace for sharp swings, especially around tech earnings and international trade headlines.