Private payrolls data ahead, Nvidia's record close - what's moving markets

investing.com:

Investing.com — Investors await the release of fresh labor market data after numbers on Tuesday showed that job openings in the U.S. fell to their lowest level in over two years in July. Meanwhile, shares in Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) close at a fresh record high as the semiconductor group and AI-darling announces a new partnership with Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL). Elsewhere, the price of Bitcoin shoots up following an appeals court ruling that could pave the way for the listing of an exchange-traded fund that tracks the popular cryptocurrency.

1. Futures edge lower ahead of fresh economic data

U.S. stock futures inched down on Wednesday, but stayed relatively close to the flatline, as investors digested weaker-than-anticipated job openings data and looked ahead to further labor market figures later in the week.

At 05:14 ET (09:14 GMT), the Dow futures contract had dipped marginally by 4 points or 0.01%, S&P 500 futures were lower by 7 points or 0.1%, and Nasdaq 100 futures fell by 37 points or 0.3%.

All three of the main indices ended the prior session higher after data showed that job openings, a proxy for labor demand, in the U.S. dropped by more than anticipated to their lowest point in nearly two-and-a-half years in July. The rate of workers quitting their jobs also decreased to a 30-month low, suggesting that employees may be seeing fewer opportunities that would persuade them to switch roles.

Meanwhile, a Conference Board consumer sentiment index reading of 106.1 missed estimates, pointing to a possible easing in the broader economy.

The numbers helped to bolster expectations that the Federal Reserve, which has been keen to slow labor demand to help cool inflation, will elect to keep interest rates steady at their next