- FTSE 100 off 25 points at 8,739.56
- US stocks start very slightly higher
- American retail sales provide the day’s big data
2:40pm: US stocks turn positive
After futures pointed lower, it turned out more positive (albeit not by much) in the first few minutes of trading in New York on Friday.
Investors are digested a busy week of inflation data, tariff updates, and corporate earnings, with fresh retail sales figures adding to the market’s cautious tone.
The Dow Jones was marked a handful of points higher at 44,715, whilst the S&P 500 tacked on 5 points to trade at 6,120 and the Nasdaq Composite edged up 15 points to 19,961.
Overall, the major indexes remain on track for solid weekly gains.
The latest retail sales report added to economic uncertainty. January retail sales fell 0.9% month over month, far exceeding the 0.2% decline economists had expected, according to Bloomberg data. This marked the steepest…
