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Futures down: Dow 0.07%, S&P 0.14%, Nasdaq 0.13%
April 30 (Reuters) - Futures tracking Wall Street's main
indexes were subdued on Tuesday as investors refrained from
placing big bets ahead of the interest rate decision at the end
of the Federal Reserve's two-day meeting, with more earnings
updates on tap.
The Federal Reserve Open Market Committee will commence its
two-day meeting later in the day, with markets focused on the
interest rate verdict and Chair Jerome Powell's remarks.
Money markets are largely expecting the central bank to stay
pat on interest rates this meeting, while pricing in just about
35 basis points (bps) of rate cuts this year, down from about
150 bps estimated at the start of the year, according to LSEG
data.
"Although the world's largest economy slowed more sharply
than expected in the first three months of the year, key
inflation readings show inflation remains stubborn and that's
dashed hopes for early and multiple rate cuts," Susannah
Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown,
said.
"If interest rates do linger for a lot longer, it (raises)
concerns about the growth prospects for the engine of the global
economy."
U.S. stocks ended higher on Monday, with sharp gains for
Tesla and Apple.
Tesla shares were down 2.3% in premarket trading on
Tuesday, following its 15% surge in the previous session after a
report that CEO Elon Musk has dismissed two senior executives
and plans to lay off hundreds more employees.
U.S. equities have had a rough April as persistent
inflationary pressures sharply pulled back bets on interest rate
cuts, while heightened tensions in the Middle East and earnings
updates also added to the volatility.
All three U.S. stock indexes are poised to record their
first monthly loss in six.
Also in focus is the quarterly earnings season, with
companies such as Eli Lilly ( LLY ), Coca-Cola and 3M ( MMM )
, among others, scheduled to report results before the
opening bell.
At 05:32 a.m., Dow E-minis were down 28 points, or
0.07%, S&P 500 E-minis were down 7 points, or 0.14%, and
Nasdaq 100 E-minis were down 22.75 points, or 0.13%.
Coursera ( COUR ) shed 12.7% premarket after the online
learning platform forecast its full-year revenue below market
estimates.