Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq futures slide as bond sell-off troubles markets, China’s Xi Jinping lands in US

Web Desk September 24, 2026

0 4 2 minutes read

Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq futures slide as bond sell-off troubles markets, China’s Xi Jinping lands in US

US stock futures slid on Thursday as inflation fears and rising bond yields outweighed hopes for Middle East diplomacy and for the artificial intelligence boom to continue its run.

Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (YM=F) fell by 0.2%, while those on the S&P 500 (ES=F) also declined by 0.4%. Contracts for the Nasdaq-100 (NQ=F) dropped 0.5% following a down day on Wall Street.

Markets remained subdued amid a sell-off in bonds and concerns about sticky inflation. On Wednesday, the benchmark 10-year yield hit its highest level since 2007 after a S&P economic barometer showed strong business growth, adding to inflation pressures.

President Trump’s meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, meanwhile, remains the key event to watch in markets on Thursday. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the US and China agreed to extend their trade truce for two more months, ending Jan. 10, leaving artificial intelligence competition, the war in Iran, and critical minerals as the primary topics to be discussed. On Thursday, several top US tech CEOs will join the leaders for a dinner.

Speaking of Big Tech, Meta unveiled cameraless VR glasses and plans for monetizing its Muse AI agent at its Connect event on Wednesday evening. The company’s Muse agent has become a top app in App Stores and was credited with helping to revive AI demand optimism in recent days.

In other corporate news, Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) and Darden Restaurants (DRI) report earnings on Thursday. Initial jobless claims numbers and new home sales data highlight the economic data calendar.

LIVE 2 updates

Good morning. Here’s what’s happening today.

Economic data: Current account balance, second quarter (-$226.8 billion previously); Initial jobless claims, week ended Sept. 19 (196,000 previously); Continuing claims, week ended Sept. 12 (1.73 million previously); New home sales, month-on-month, August (+1.3% expected, -10.5% previously); Building permits, month-on-month, August final reading (-2.7% previously); Kansas City Fed manufacturing activity, September (10 previously)

Earnings calendar: Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST), Darden Restaurants (DRI), Uranium Energy Corp. (UEC), BlackBerry (BB), Scholastic Corporation (SCHL)

Catch up on some top stories from overnight:

Dollar perched at two-month high as hot PMI fuels inflation fears, rate hike bets

Gold holds drop as higher oil and hot US data fan rate-hike bets

Mexico says fourth round of US trade talks postponed, October possible

Meta unveils $1,299 VR Glasses, camera-less smart glasses at Meta Connect

Meta’s Zuckerberg says Muse AI agent will take a small fee from transactions
Scott Bessent: US and China to extend trade truce for 2 more months

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News on Wednesday that the US and China will extend their trade truce for two more months after meeting with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng.

The announcement comes as Chinese President Xi Jinping touched down in the United States for a meeting with President Trump.

“We will extend what we call the ‘Busan Agreement,’ the economic detente between the two countries that was scheduled to end on November 10, that is going to be extended until January 10,” Bessent said.

The two countries originally signed the agreement in the fall of last year, following an escalating trade war that saw tariff rates rise to triple digits and China curb rare earths exports.

The Shanghai Composite (000888.SS) and Hang Seng (^HSI) indexes fell on Thursday, as did US stock futures.