Stock Market Edges Higher Ahead of Key U.S. Jobs Report

U.S. stock market futures moved slightly higher late Thursday as investors prepared for the release of the February employment report, a key indicator that could shape expectations for economic growth and Federal Reserve policy.

Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq 100 all posted modest gains after a volatile trading session. Earlier in the day, the three major indexes closed lower as geopolitical tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran weighed on market sentiment.

For the week, the Dow Jones has fallen more than 2%, slipping into negative territory for 2026, while the S&P 500 is also on track for a weekly decline. The Nasdaq Composite, however, has shown relative resilience and is heading toward a small weekly gain, supported by strength in technology stocks.

Energy markets have also influenced trading sentiment. Oil prices surged to their highest levels since 2024, with West Texas Intermediate crude oil and Brent crude both posting their largest weekly gains since 2022. Rising energy prices could renew concerns about inflation and potentially affect the policy outlook of the Federal Reserve.

Attention is now focused on Friday‘s U.S. jobs report. Economists expect job growth of about 55,000 in February, slowing from January’s 130,000 increase, while the unemployment rate is projected to remain at 4.3%.

Investors are also monitoring corporate earnings from companies including Costco and Marvell Technology, which could provide further insight into consumer demand and the technology sector outlook.

With geopolitical tensions, economic data, and corporate earnings all influencing sentiment, analysts expect market volatility to remain elevated in the near term.