Energy sector strength contributes to mixed futures sentiment, with utilities lagging. Live market futures price action indicates rotation among cyclical sectors could continue into next week’s sessions. "This is the first time that I've really been at a roadblock," Miller said. "It's just a bad time right now out here, and so I'm just trying to deal with it, just day after day." The board's headline confidence index registered a 94.2 reading, off 3.6 points from the August reading and below the Dow Jones estimate for 96.0. The reading was the lowest since April and comes with nonessential government operations slated to close at midnight. Futures on biotech indexes jumped after FDA approvals on key drugs, influencing broader Nasdaq futures strength. Market watchers note biotech risk-reward ratios improving for short-term traders.