Investing.com -- US stock futures hovered just above the flatline on Friday, as investors speculated about the scope of an expected Federal Reserve interest rate cut next week. Boeing (NYSE:BA) workers in the US West Coast vote to go on strike, placing additional pressure on the planemaker during a time when its safety record has come under scrutiny. Elsewhere, Oracle (NYSE:ORCL) improves its 2026 revenue target, sending shares higher in extended hours trading.
1. Futures inch higher
US stock futures edged up on Friday after equities ended the prior session at their highest levels so far this month following data that bolstered bets for a 25-basis point cut by the Federal Reserve next week.
By 03:34 ET (07:34 GMT), the Dow futures contract had added 61 points or 0.2%, S&P 500 futures had ticked up by 8 points or 0.2%, and Nasdaq 100 futures had risen by 17 points or 0.1%.
On Thursday, the benchmark S&P 500 advanced by 41 points or 0.8%, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite gained 174 points or 1.0%, and the 30-stock Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed by 235 points or 0.6%.
Underlining sentiment were figures showing that headline producer prices for final demand edged up by a faster-than-anticipated rate in August. The core number, extracting volatile items like food and fuel, was also hotter than estimates. The returns dented some market expectations that the Fed will roll out a deeper 50-basis point reduction at its next policy meeting on Sept. 17-18.
Even still, uncertainty still surrounds the central bank's much-anticipated decision. The CME Group's (NASDAQ:CME) closely-monitored FedWatch Tool now places a 57% chance of a quarter-point drawdown and 43% on a half-point cut.
2. Boeing workers vote to go on strike
More than 30,000 Boeing workers will go on strike after the company’s factory employees in the US Pacific Northwest voted for a work stoppage over demands for higher pay, presenting more challenges for the aerospace giant.
The strike is set to commence from midnight, Pacific time (0700 GMT), Friday and is the company’s first major labor action since 2008. Reports from local media outlets in Washington showed 96% of members of Boeing's biggest labor union voted in favor of the strike, with members stating that the pay and benefits offered by the company in recent negotiations were not enough to live on.
Boeing has said workers had made clear that a tentative deal reached earlier this month was "not acceptable," adding that it is "ready to get back" to the negotiating table.
The strike represents another major headwind for the planemaker and its new Chief Executive Officer Kelly Ortberg. The company is struggling to restore its reputation in the wake of more quality issues with its jets. Scrutiny of Boeing was rekindled this year after a door panel blew off a 737 MAX jet in January, while a failure in its Starliner spacecraft stranded two astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
Boeing’s last strike in 2008 cost the company roughly $1.3 billion in staggered production and higher wages.
3. Oracle lifts 2026 revenue guidance, shares surge
Shares in Oracle rose by more than 6% in extended hours trading after the database software group unveiled a revenue outlook for its 2026 fiscal year that topped analysts' expectations.
The firm said it now expects to post revenue of $66 billion during the period. Analysts had seen the number at $64.5 billion, according to LSEG data cited by media outlets.
Oracle also forecast that it would report $104 billion in revenue by 2029, as well as annual earnings growth of 20%.
The company has been boosted by a spike in demand for cloud computing from the rapidly-growing artificial intelligence industry, although it does compete on this front with tech giants Alphabet's (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN).
Oracle is one of the best-performing software stocks so far this year and is trading up around 53% as of Thursday’s close.
4. Adobe guidance disappoints
Adobe's (NASDAQ:ADBE) fourth-quarter revenue guidance missed analysts' expectations, sending shares in the Photoshop-owner lower in after-hours trading.
The California-based group said it anticipates that sales during the period would come in at $5.50 billion to $5.55 billion, below LSEG forecasts of $5.61 billion, Reuters reported.
Quarterly profit, meanwhile, is seen at $4.63 to $4.68 per share, compared to estimates of $4.67 per share.
The outlook comes as Adobe is introducing artificial intelligence-powered enhancements to its editing software in a bid to lift demand. But spending has remained subdued as customers, wary of an uncertain economic environment and elevated interest rates, look to rein in costs.
5. Oil on course for positive week
Oil prices rose in European trade on Friday and were set for a positive close to the week as concerns over supply disruptions stemming from Hurricane Francine helped crude rebound from near three-year lows.
But crude prices were still nursing steep losses from last week, and were trading only marginally above this week’s lows, as persistent concerns over slowing demand tempered crude’s advance.
Brent oil futures expiring in November rose 0.5% to $72.34 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate crude futures increased by 0.5% to $68.50 per barrel by 03:37 ET.
Both contracts are on track to break a string of weekly declines if the gains hold.