US stock futures were little changed at the start of the week's trading, as investors await new guidance and signals from the Federal Reserve on when to cut interest rates.
S&P 500 futures were flat, Dow Jones futures were down about 20 points, or 0.05%, and Nasdaq futures were up about 0.1%.
Inflation concerns weighed on stocks in the final days of last week, with the S&P 500 set to enter trading on Monday, March 18, after a two-week losing streak.
The Dow Jones and Nasdaq also recovered from marginal losses. Stronger-than-expected February core and wholesale inflation readings dampened stocks and raised concerns that the central bank may be biased toward longer-term interest rate hikes before its policy meeting begins on Tuesday.
Investors remain on edge after a flurry of data earlier in the week. February’s producer price index, a measure of inflation at wholesalers, rose more than economists had expected.
The data helped push benchmark 10-year Treasuries about 22 basis points higher for the week, as investors wondered whether recent economic data was too strong for the Federal Reserve to ease monetary policy.
The Federal Reserve is scheduled to begin its two-day policy meeting on March 19.
Recent economic releases could raise questions about whether the Fed feels inflation has slowed enough to start cutting interest rates later this year, and that it could raise long-term borrowing rates, according to Macquarie Global interest rates and currency strategist Thierry Wezeman.
