[New York Pre-Market Check] U.S. PCE Inflation Index in Focus... Market Uncertainty Persists

# Pre-Market Highlights: Key Themes for Wall Street Investors ## U.S. PCE Inflation Gauge in Focus U.S. equity futures dipped ahead of Friday’s opening bell as investors exercised caution fueled by tariff uncertainty and anticipation of pivotal inflation data. The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index for February is scheduled for release today. Given the Federal Reserve’s upward revision of inflation projections recently, this data set will be instrumental in assessing whether inflationary pressures persist. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones expect the February PCE to show a 0.3% increase month-over-month and a 2.5% rise compared to the same period last year. On Thursday, Wall Street closed lower. The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 155 points, or 0.4%, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.3% and 0.5%, respectively. ## Trade Uncertainty Lingers Investor sentiment has also been clouded by former President Donald Trump’s provocative statement on trade. Trump suggested imposing a 25% tariff on all cars not manufactured in the U.S., rekindling concerns about trade policy disruptions. Adding to market jitters, signs of a potential consumer spending slowdown have intensified worries over economic deceleration. Lauren Goodwin, chief market strategist at New York Life Investments, told CNBC, “Until uncertainties surrounding policy dissipate, market volatility is likely to persist. Next week may prove pivotal, but for now, clouds of uncertainty remain.” ## Big Tech Escalates Humanoid Robotics Race U.S. tech giants, including Tesla and Nvidia, are racing to advance humanoid robotics development. Proponents argue the technology will form the backbone of future economies. However, experts warn that China might already be gaining the upper hand in this sphere. Humanoid robots, designed to emulate human form and movement powered by artificial intelligence (AI), have diverse applications across industrial and service sectors. Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, recently unveiled the company's humanoid robotics portfolio and declared, “The dawn of the era of general-purpose robots.” His comments have sparked heightened investor interest in the sector. ## Futures and Key Market Metrics As of early trading, Dow Jones Futures slipped 0.13%, Nasdaq Futures fell 0.31%, and S&P 500 Futures declined 0.17%, according to CNBC. Meanwhile, the U.S. Dollar Index, tracked by *The Wall Street Journal*, inched up 0.14% to 104.49. The 10-year Treasury yield eased 3.2 basis points to 4.334%. Crude oil benchmark WTI Futures rose marginally by 0.04%, trading at $69.93 per barrel.