S&P 500 Futures Edge Higher On Slower Growth Hotter Inflation

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The Morning Bull – US Market Morning Update Friday, May, 1 2026

US stock futures are slightly higher this morning, as investors balance slower growth with hotter inflation. First quarter US GDP grew at a 2.0% annual pace versus forecasts of 2.3%, meaning the economy is still expanding but not quite as quickly as economists expected. At the same time, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, PCE, is running at 3.5% a year, while employment costs and jobless claims signal a very tight job market. The big question for you is whether the Fed keeps interest rates high for longer, which keeps pressure on rate sensitive areas like housing and smaller companies, or whether growth worries start to support larger, steadier businesses.

With growth cooling and inflation still firm, some investors are shifting their focus toward 74 resilient stocks with low risk scores.

Top Movers

  • FTAI Aviation (FTAI) surged 17.16% after reporting first quarter revenue, earnings and EPS figures.

  • Quanta Services (PWR) jumped 15.78% following first quarter earnings results and Citi’s higher price target.

  • QUALCOMM (QCOM) climbed 15.12% after strong quarterly earnings and a series of analyst upgrades and target hikes.

Is QUALCOMM still a smart investment or just hype? Read our most popular narrative and get all the answers you need.

FTAI 1-Year Stock Price Chart

Top Losers

Look past the noise – uncover the top narrative that explains what truly matters for Willis Towers Watson’s long-term success.

WTW 1-Year Stock Price Chart
WTW 1-Year Stock Price Chart

On The Radar

US investors will be watching fresh factory data and a busy slate of earnings and shareholder meetings for large financials and tech.

  • US Manufacturing: March US Factory Orders on Monday will help you gauge demand across industrial, export and capital goods.

  • Energy Majors: Exxon Mobil (XOM) reports Q1 results today, giving you a clearer read on costs and pricing.

  • Consumer Staples: Colgate-Palmolive (CL) Q1 update today highlights pricing power and profitability for everyday household products.

  • Financials and Alternatives: Cboe Global Markets (CBOE) and Ares Management (ARES) earnings today spotlight trading volumes and fee trends.

  • Tech and Platforms: Uber Technologies (UBER) holds its AGM on Monday, with attention on governance and long term growth priorities.

Use our Portfolio or Watchlist features to track market-moving events like these and get alerts for the companies you own, free!

Find Stocks Poised To Move

Go beyond chasing headlines and focus on companies built to hold up when volatility spikes with our carefully filtered solid balance sheet and fundamentals stocks screener (44 results).

Ready to take control of your next move? Our stock screener lets you run custom searches that fit your style and set timely alerts so you never miss fresh opportunities.

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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com

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