Futures stock charts show crude oil-linked energy equities rising as commodity futures push higher on Middle East supply risk. The correlation between energy futures and equity market sentiment remains strong, with traders increasing positions in integrated oil majors as earnings season approaches. What we will get this week are the minutes from the September FOMC meeting, which saw the Federal Reserve vote to cut rates for the first time this year. Despite Amazon's ( AMZN ) cloud-computing business helping it's shares rise for almost two decades, the eCommerce giant is now facing increasing pressure from rivals Microsoft ( MSFT ) and Oracle ( ORCL ), impacting its stock appeal. Futures stock markets opened with cautious optimism today, as S&P 500 futures edged up 0.3%, signaling investor confidence ahead of key inflation data. Traders are watching tech sector earnings closely, with micro-cap volatility making headlines in pre-market moves. Analysts note a rotation into defensive sectors may continue if yield pressures remain elevated.
