Wall Street Set to Open Lower Friday as Investors React to Trump's Choice of Warsh as Fed Chair

09:14 AM EST, 01/30/2026 (MT Newswires) -- US stocks look set to open lower in Friday's trading session as investors seem calmed by President Donald Trump's nomination of former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh to replace Fed Chairman Jerome Powell when his term expires in May.

Investors are also parsing the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Producer Price Index reading, which rose 0.5% in December, up from a 0.2% gain the previous month, and above analysts' forecast of a 0.2% rise, according to Bloomberg.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were off 0.5%, S&P 500 futures were down 0.6%, and Nasdaq futures were moving 0.7% lower.

Oil prices were moving lower, with front-month global benchmarks Brent crude down 0.7% to $69.16 a barrel, and West Texas Intermediate crude declining 0.7% to $64.98 a barrel.

In other world markets, Japan's Nikkei was off 0.1%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng tumbled 2.1%, and China's Shanghai Composite dropped 1%. Meanwhile in Europe's early afternoon session, the UK's FTSE 100 was up 0.3%, while Germany's DAX rose 0.8%, and France's CAC increased 0.6%.

In equities, shares of VivoSim Labs (VIVS) shares were up 82% in recent Friday premarket activity, a day after the pharmaceutical and biotechnology services company signed agreements designating JCBio as its distributor in South Korea and Tekon Biotech in China for its NAMKind toxicology services. Adlai Nortye's (ANL) shares jumped 51%, adding to an 88% gain the previous session. And shares of Sandisk (SNDK) surged 22% after it reported fiscal Q2 earnings and fiscal Q3 guidance Thursday that topped Wall Street forecasts.

On the losing side, shares of Brand Engagement Network (BNAI) tumbled 40%, adding to a 16% loss on Thursday. Schneider National (SNDR) shares fell 19% after the company reported Q4 earnings and a 2026 forecast late Thursday that missed analyst forecasts. And Beazer Homes USA (BZH) shares were down 14%, a day after the company reported a swing to fiscal Q1 net loss and a lower revenue.

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