U.S. stock futures ticked modestly higher on Wednesday as investors positioned cautiously ahead of the delayed January nonfarm payrolls report, a key catalyst for near-term market direction. Economists expect job growth of around 70,000 with unemployment holding steady at 4.4%, though recent signs of softer consumer demand — highlighted by unexpectedly weak retail sales — have raised concerns about slowing momentum in lower- and middle-income spending. A downside surprise in employment data could weigh on risk sentiment and reinforce expectations of a more cautious economic outlook.

In Tuesday’s session, markets closed mixed with the Dow Jones Industrial Average reaching another record high, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq slipped amid notable weakness in technology stocks, particularly semiconductor and memory names. Financial shares also lagged following the launch of a new AI-driven tax planning platform by Altruist, intensifying competitive pressures on traditional financial service providers. As macro uncertainty builds, sector rotation and data-driven volatility are likely to remain dominant themes in the near term.