U.S. Stock Futures Climb Ahead of Key Earnings; Tariff Uncertainty Lingers

U.S. stock index futures edged higher early Monday as investors brace for a pivotal week of second-quarter earnings, with major names like Tesla and Alphabet set to report. The broader market remains cautious amid trade tension headlines, particularly regarding potential U.S. tariffs on the European Union.

Market Snapshot By 05:24 ET (09:24 GMT):

S&P 500 Futures: +18 points (+0.3%)

Nasdaq 100 Futures: +71 points (+0.3%)

Dow Jones Futures: +124 points (+0.3%)

Markets briefly stalled near record highs on Friday, weighed down by reports that President Donald Trump is pushing for a 15% to 20% minimum tariff on EU imports, slated to begin August 1.

Earnings to Watch: Tech and Industrials in Focus A flurry of corporate earnings is expected this week, with particular focus on the “Magnificent Seven”:

Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) and Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) report Wednesday.

Other notable names reporting include:

Verizon (NYSE:VZ)

Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO)

Philip Morris (NYSE:PM)

RTX Corp (NYSE:RTX)

Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT)

General Motors (NYSE:GM)

Bank earnings last week provided some optimism, although most financial institutions flagged economic uncertainty due to impending trade tariffs.

Use the Earnings Calendar API to monitor upcoming earnings and time your market moves with precision.

Trade Tensions and Tariff Fears Investors remain cautious as Trump’s proposed “reciprocal tariffs” are set to activate on August 1, escalating tensions with the EU. The bloc has lobbied to retain the current 10% U.S. import duty, but Washington appears poised to enforce higher levies.

The implications are far-reaching. Fewer finalized trade deals than anticipated and the threat of broader economic friction have weighed on investor sentiment, pulling equities off their highs.

Global Snapshot: Oil and Currency Moves

Brent Crude: -0.6% to $68.89/barrel

WTI Crude: -0.5% to $65.74/barrel

Oil dipped slightly on concerns over demand and the EU’s new sanctions against Russian energy exports. India’s Nayara Energy, a major buyer of Russian crude, is among those affected.

Track real-time price movements with the Commodities API for actionable insight across energy and resource markets.

Bottom Line: With earnings season heating up and trade policy still in flux, markets are entering a crucial stretch. Whether the S&P 500 can push beyond its all-time highs will largely depend on Q2 results and clarity on tariff policy.