Stock futures are little changed as traders brace for Fed’s preferred inflation reading: Live updates

Stock futures traded near the flatline Thursday night as Wall Street awaits a key inflation reading.

Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average inched lower by 13 points, or 0.03%. S&P 500 futures were off by less than 0.1%, while Nasdaq 100 futures ticked down 0.1%.

In after-hours action, Costco Wholesale slipped 1% after posting a revenue miss. In the fiscal fourth quarter, the warehouse retailer reported earnings of $5.29 per share on $79.70 billion in fourth-quarter revenue. Analysts polled by LSEG expected earnings of $5.08 per share on $79.97 billion in revenue.

Thursday's trading session ended on a strong note, with the three major averages posting gains and the S&P 500 closing at a fresh record for the third time this week. The Nasdaq Composite also notched four straight winning days.

A batch of economic data issued on Thursday assured investors of the strength of the U.S. economy. Initial jobless claims had fallen more than expected, indicating a strong labor market, while the final reading of second-quarter gross domestic product came in at 3%. 

"Markets are pleased that the Fed is taking meaningful steps to recalibrate policy," LPL Financial chief economist Jeffrey Roach said.

Traders are awaiting the release of August's personal consumption expenditures price index, due on Friday morning. The so-called PCE is the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation metric, and policymakers and Wall Street alike are hoping for figures that show a cooling trend. Economists expect that headline PCE rose at a 2.3% annualized pace, and that it gained 0.1% from the prior month.

The three major indexes are higher for the week, with the S&P 500 up nearly 0.8% and the 30-stock Dow Jones Industrial Average on pace to rise 0.3%. The