US Stock Market Today S&P 500 Futures Edge Lower As Traders Eye Jobs Report

The Morning Bull - US Market Morning Update Friday, Apr, 3 2026

US stock futures are slightly softer this morning, with E mini S&P 500 contracts down about 0.2%, as investors weigh rising global costs against a key US jobs update. The FAO Food Price Index sits at 128.5, its highest level since September 2023, which points to more pressure on grocery bills worldwide. At the same time, the March US jobs report is expected to show around 60,000 new jobs and unemployment steady at 4.4%, a sign of a job market that is cooling but still functioning. The dilemma now is whether higher living and energy costs push investors toward defensives such as utilities and real estate or keep interest focused on growth sectors that rely more on steady economic momentum.

Rising living costs and a cooling jobs market make it a good time to focus on 67 resilient stocks with low risk scores

Top Movers

• AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) jumped 10.27% after ongoing excitement around SpaceX's confidential IPO filing.
• Astera Labs (ALAB) climbed 10.17% as investors looked ahead to its Q1 2026 earnings date.
• Lumentum Holdings (LITE) gained 8.14% following positive commentary linking its technology to Nvidia partnerships.

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Top Losers

• Tesla (TSLA) fell 5.42% after Q1 deliveries and energy storage results were described as a big miss.
• General Electric (GE) slipped 3.94% as Citi reduced its price target on GE Aerospace.
• Arm Holdings (ARM) declined 3.84% despite announcing a new AI focused hardware collaboration with IBM.

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On The Radar

Services activity and household spending data will steer the macro conversation for US focused investors over the next few days.

• US services pulse: ISM Services PMI (US) on Monday will update the picture on March services activity.
• Global services check: S&P Global Services PMI (Brazil) on Monday offers another read on March services sector conditions.
• Household demand watch: Household Spending (Japan) on Monday tracks February spending patterns and consumer appetite.
• Labor backdrop: Unemployment Change (Spain) on Monday adds context to global job market conditions investors are tracking.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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