U.S. Stock Futures Trading Slightly Higher in Evening Deals

U.S. stock futures were trading slightly higher during Wednesday's evening deals, with major benchmark averages rallying ahead of a much-anticipated speech by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. The Fed chair's comments could indicate a potential boost to the office real estate investment trust space in the near future.

Trading activity has been muted during Wednesday’s session, with investors waiting to hear Powell’s remarks for further indications on the future direction of the U.S. economy. investors expect Powell to address the recent pick-up in inflation and the outlook for future monetary policy.

Ahead of the speech, U.S. stock futures were up with the Dow Jones Industrial Average futures trading 0.15% higher. The S&P 500 futures were up 0.19%, while the Nasdaq 100 futures were up 0.12%.

In other news, the U.S. Treasury Department reported that it had sold $38 billion of 10-year notes at a yield of 1.560%. This was the lowest yield since December 2020.

investors are also keeping an eye on the corporate earnings season, with the first-quarter earnings season kicking off Tuesday. Big names such as Goldman Sachs and Johnson & Johnson are set to report this week.

Overall, investor sentiment remained optimistic as market participants looked ahead to the much-awaited speech by Fed Chair Powell.