Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq futures rise as oil climbs and Wall Street weighs jobs data signals

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US stock futures rose on Wednesday, poised to backtrack on a string of recent slumps as oil surged and investors continued to debate what the latest jobs data means for Federal Reserve policy and the US economy.

Contracts on the S&P 500 (ES=F) and on the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 (NQ=F) moved up 0.4% and 0.5%, respectively. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures (YM=F) added 0.3%, after US stocks finished mixed in Tuesday's session. 

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Also in focus, oil jumped about 2% after President Trump ordered a blockade of sanctioned tankers off Venezuela and with the US said to be readying fresh sanctions on Russia if it rebuffs a Ukraine peace plan. West Texas Intermediate (CL=F) futures climbed to above $56 a barrel, rebounding from the lowest level in almost five years, while Brent (BZ=F) traded just below $60.

After weeks in a data vacuum, Wall Street is trying to find a clear signal in a noisy November jobs report to pinpoint a path for interest rates next year. The data out Tuesday delivered a double surprise: a bigger number of jobs added last month than expected, alongside the highest unemployment rate since 2021. Wall Street is also waiting for the other data shoe to drop: Thursday's update on consumer inflation in November.

Two key Fed members on Wednesday could offer clues on the path ahead, as the New York Fed's John Williams and Fed governor Chris Waller are set to speak at separate appearances. Waller is also reportedly interviewing with Trump on Wednesday as the president moves closer to choosing his replacement for Chair Jerome Powell.

At the same time, investors' appetite for tech stocks remains in focus as questions about the AI trade persist. Micron Technology's (MU) quarterly results are due after the bell on Wednesday and are in higher focus as those worries ripple through the sector, even as the US semiconductor maker gets a boost from the memory chip squeeze.

Tesla (TSLA) has boosted the mood for techs in recent sessions. On Tuesday, it notched its first record close in about a year, amid growing investor enthusiasm over its robotaxi ambitions.

Elsewhere in corporates, Netflix (NFLX) stock rose after Warner Bros. Discovery's (WBD) board called on shareholders to reject a rival bid from Paramount Skydance (PSKY), questioning funding guarantees.

SPY in -1.37% downward trend, sliding for three consecutive days on December 17, 2025

Moving lower for three straight days is viewed as a bearish sign. Keep an eye on this stock for future declines. Considering data from situations where SPY declined for three days, in of 251 cases, the price declined further within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are .

Technical Analysis (Indicators)

Bearish Trend Analysis

The Moving Average Convergence Divergence Histogram (MACD) for SPY turned negative on December 16, 2025. This could be a sign that the stock is set to turn lower in the coming weeks. Traders may want to sell the stock or buy put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 54 similar instances when the indicator turned negative. In of the 54 cases the stock turned lower in the days that followed. This puts the odds of success at .

Bullish Trend Analysis

The RSI Oscillator points to a transition from a downward trend to an upward trend -- in cases where SPY's RSI Oscillator exited the oversold zone, of 22 resulted in an increase in price. Tickeron's analysis proposes that the odds of a continued upward trend are .

The Stochastic Oscillator suggests the stock price trend may be in a reversal from a downward trend to an upward trend. of 40 cases where SPY's Stochastic Oscillator exited the oversold zone resulted in an increase in price. Tickeron's analysis proposes that the odds of a continued upward trend are .

The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on December 22, 2025. You may want to consider a long position or call options on SPY as a result. In of 71 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are .

SPY moved above its 50-day moving average on December 18, 2025 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend.

The 10-day moving average for SPY crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on December 03, 2025. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In of 13 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are .

Following a 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where SPY advanced for three days, in of 366 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are .

SPY may jump back above the lower band and head toward the middle band. Traders may consider buying the stock or exploring call options.

The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In of 458 cases where SPY Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are .