Stock Market: Will S&P 500 Open Up or Down Today?

U.S. stock futures trended lower early Wednesday following a brutal sell-off in Asian markets and as investors await the release of the Federal Reserve’s August FOMC meeting minutes. The Polymarket (CRYPTO: POL) crowd is split on the Aug. 19 trading session. The “S&P 500 (SPX) Up or Down on August 19?” contract currently reflects a 49% chance of a higher open. Why That Number Matters Traders are confronting a surge in Middle East tensions and a heavy dose of retail earnings against the backdrop of an overseas market rout: Lower Index Futures: Equity futures are pointing to a negative open. S&P 500 futures fell 0.18%, and Nasdaq 100 futures dropped 0.37%. Dow Jones futures slipped 0.11%, and Russell 2000 futures were down 0.19%. Asian Market Rout: Asian stocks traded sharply lower, led by a more than 5% drop in South Korea’s KOSPI that triggered a sell-side sidecar. Semic...