What is stock futures? Stock futures are derivative contracts obligating the buyer to purchase or the seller to sell a specific stock at a predetermined price on a set future date. As of today’s trading, S&P 500 futures rose 0.4%, signaling positive sentiment ahead of key inflation data, with analysts watching treasury yields for confirmation. Before you buy stock in EPR Properties, consider this: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was asked at a news conference about The Financial Times report that noted China's internet regulator had barred Chinese tech firms from buying the semiconductor's products. Institutional investors often analyze what is stock futures to gauge capital flows. Current positioning shows increased long exposure in banking sector futures ahead of quarterly reports.