FX.co ★ U.S. Futures Drift Lower Ahead of Fed Minutes

U.S. stock futures saw a slight decline on Tuesday following Wall Street's negative close on Monday, where technology stocks pulled back from their rally earlier in the week amid thin holiday trading volumes. Nevertheless, equities are on track to end 2025 near record levels, marking double-digit growth in a year influenced by trade tensions and evolving central bank strategies. Investors are now eagerly awaiting the Federal Reserve's December meeting minutes, due to be released later today, which are anticipated to highlight differing opinions among policymakers regarding next year's interest rate projections, thereby adding an element of uncertainty to the direction of future policy. In corporate news, Nvidia achieved a significant milestone as the first company to surpass a USD 5 trillion market valuation this year, highlighting tech giants' robust investment as they compete fiercely in the global AI sector. Apart from monetary policy concerns, markets continue to grapple with ongoing geopolitical risks, including the conflict in Ukraine, the uncertainty surrounding Venezuela's energy sector, worries of an oil surplus, and the increasing demand for electricity necessary to support AI infrastructure.