U.S. Stock Futures Rise as Markets Eye U.S.-China Trade Talks

U.S. stock futures climbed Wednesday as Wall Street welcomed news that top American and Chinese officials will meet this weekend in Switzerland, raising hopes for a possible thaw in trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies.

The White House confirmed that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will hold talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Geneva on May 10-11, marking the first high-level negotiations since President Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on Chinese imports-a move that prompted swift retaliatory duties from Beijing.

Investor optimism lifted Dow Jones futures by 0.6%, with S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures also posting gains. The positive market response reflects hopes that the talks could de-escalate the ongoing tariff standoff, though officials on both sides have cautioned that a major breakthrough is unlikely at this stage.

U.S. officials have signaled the focus will be on reducing tensions rather than securing a comprehensive trade deal. “We’ve got to de-escalate before we can move forward,” Bessent said ahead of the meetings.

Meanwhile, investors are also awaiting the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision later today. The central bank is widely expected to keep rates steady as it monitors the economic impact of the trade dispute and heightened global uncertainty. However, for now, the prospect of renewed dialogue between Washington and Beijing remains the primary driver of market sentiment.