Dow Jones futures slip as risk aversion rise on tariff, geopolitical tensions
- Dow Jones futures fall after Trump announced a 15% global tariff, prolonging post-Supreme Court trade uncertainty.
- US equities weaken as US-Iran tensions heighten risk aversion beyond trade concerns.
- Market caution rises as mixed data complicates the Federal Reserve’s policy outlook.
Dow Jones futures fall 0.43% to around 49,450 during European hours ahead of the US regular market open on Monday. S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures decline 0.58% and 0.74%, respectively, trading near 6,880 and 24,880 at the time of writing.
US index futures eased on Monday as US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday a temporary 15% global tariff effective immediately, extending trade policy uncertainty following the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down key duties imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
US equities also struggle amid rising risk aversion linked to lingering tensions between the US and Iran, which has also weighed on sentiment, contributing to equity underperformance beyond trade policy concerns.
Trump weighed limited airstrikes on Iran as a way to pressure Tehran during nuclear talks and reportedly told advisers that if diplomacy or an initial targeted US strike fails to compel Iran to abandon its nuclear program, a broader assault could be considered in the coming months, according to The New York Times.
On Friday’s regular US session, Wall Street ended higher with gains across major indexes after the Supreme Court of the United States blocked Trump’s emergency tariffs. The Dow Jones rose 0.47%, the S&P 500 gained 0.69%, and the Nasdaq 100 climbed 0.9%. Tech earnings remain in focus this week, particularly Nvidia’s results, which could offer fresh direction for the broader market.
The US Gross Domestic Product (GDP) expanded at an annual rate of 1.4% in the fourth quarter of 2025, while core PCE inflation rose 3.0% YoY in December, underscoring persistent price pressures and complicating the Federal Reserve’s policy outlook, thereby heightening market caution.
Dow Jones FAQs
The Dow Jones Industrial Average, one of the oldest stock market indices in the world, is compiled of the 30 most traded stocks in the US. The index is price-weighted rather than weighted by capitalization. It is calculated by summing the prices of the constituent stocks and dividing them by a factor, currently 0.152. The index was founded by Charles Dow, who also founded the Wall Street Journal. In later years it has been criticized for not being broadly representative enough because it only tracks 30 conglomerates, unlike broader indices such as the S&P 500.
Many different factors drive the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA). The aggregate performance of the component companies revealed in quarterly company earnings reports is the main one. US and global macroeconomic data also contributes as it impacts on investor sentiment. The level of interest rates, set by the Federal Reserve (Fed), also influences the DJIA as it affects the cost of credit, on which many corporations are heavily reliant. Therefore, inflation can be a major driver as well as other metrics which impact the Fed decisions.
Dow Theory is a method for identifying the primary trend of the stock market developed by Charles Dow. A key step is to compare the direction of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) and the Dow Jones Transportation Average (DJTA) and only follow trends where both are moving in the same direction. Volume is a confirmatory criteria. The theory uses elements of peak and trough analysis. Dow’s theory posits three trend phases: accumulation, when smart money starts buying or selling; public participation, when the wider public joins in; and distribution, when the smart money exits.
There are a number of ways to trade the DJIA. One is to use ETFs which allow investors to trade the DJIA as a single security, rather than having to buy shares in all 30 constituent companies. A leading example is the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA). DJIA futures contracts enable traders to speculate on the future value of the index and Options provide the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell the index at a predetermined price in the future. Mutual funds enable investors to buy a share of a diversified portfolio of DJIA stocks thus providing exposure to the overall index.