What is futures trading? Investors use it to anticipate price moves. The latest CFTC report shows net long positions in gold futures climbing 8%, reflecting hedging against possible equity market pullbacks as inflation data remains sticky at 3.4% YoY. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. 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. Typically, around this time, we would turn to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' monthly employment report to assess how many jobs the US added in September. Economists polled by FactSet expected the US to have added around 50,000 jobs during the month and for the unemployment rate to have held steady at 4.3%. What is futures trading? Equity futures surged post-Nvidia earnings beat, with S&P e-minis adding 1.4%. Volume spikes indicate strong retail and institutional participation, hinting at continued bullishness in growth sectors.