Stocks Down Pre-Bell Ahead of Major Tech Earnings, Fed Policy Decision

07:28 AM EST, 01/26/2026 (MT Newswires) -- The benchmark US stock measures were pointing lower before the opening bell Monday as traders await earnings from major technology companies and a key policy decision by the Federal Reserve later in the week.

The S&P 500 declined 0.2%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was slightly in the red and the Nasdaq decreased 0.3% in premarket activity. The indexes closed Friday's trading session mixed.

Apple (AAPL) , Microsoft (MSFT) , Meta Platforms (META) and Tesla (TSLA) are scheduled to release their financial results later in the week, along with other major companies including UnitedHealth (UNH) , Visa (V), Mastercard (MA) , Caterpillar (CAT) , Boeing (BA) , AT&T (T) , Starbucks (SBUX) , Exxon Mobil (XOM) and Chevron (CVX) .

Steel Dynamics (STLD) and Bank of Hawaii (BOH) post earnings before the bell Monday, among others. Nucor (NUE) is slated to release its results after the markets close.

The Fed's monetary policy committee is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, with a decision on interest rates due on Wednesday. Markets are widely expecting the central bank to keep its key lending rate unchanged, according to the CME FedWatch tool.

The Fed reduced its benchmark lending rate by 25 basis points last month, delivering a third straight cut of the same size, amid continued concerns about the health of the labor market.

Treasury yields were down in premarket action, with the two-year rate retreating 1.5 basis points to 3.59% and the 10-year rate off 2.8 basis points to 4.21%.

Monday's economic calendar has the delayed durable goods orders report for November at 8:30 am ET, along with the delayed Chicago Fed national activity index reports for October and November. The Dallas Fed manufacturing survey for January is out at 10:30 am.

On Friday, a survey by the University of Michigan showed that US consumer sentiment improved this month to the highest reading since August as year-ahead inflation expectations reached a 12-month low.

US private-sector output growth largely held steady this month, adding to signs that the rate of expansion has slowed from the second half of 2025, S&P Global (SPGI) said Friday.

Shares of USA Rare Earth (USAR) jumped 22% pre-bell after the Financial Times reported that the company is slated to receive a $1.6 billion investment from the US government. SkyWater Technology (SKYT) climbed 6.5% after the chipmaker agreed to be acquired by IonQ (IONQ) in a cash-and-stock deal worth roughly $1.8 billion.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil inclined 0.2% to $61.19 a barrel before the open. Gold advanced 2.2% to $5,088 per troy ounce, while bitcoin gained 1.6% to $87,760.

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