Global Factory Strength Fails to Offset Inflation Worries for US Stocks
US stock futures are steady to slightly higher on Friday as strong factory readings in Europe and Asia offset ongoing inflation worries. The Eurozone, Netherlands, and Taiwan's manufacturing PMIs all remain above 50, signaling expanding activity.
The solid global demand is helping US goods and tech exports, but the question remains whether it can offset cost pressures. Inflation signals are still sticky, with Switzerland's higher consumer prices and Japan's central bank keeping its policy rate at 1.25%.
Accenture (ACN) led the gains after Q4 earnings topped expectations, while Synopsys (SNPS) jumped following upbeat investor day guidance and new AI partnerships. Coherent (COHR) gained 10.90% after Bernstein initiated coverage with an Outperform rating.