5 Things to Know Before the Stock Market Opens Today

Stock futures pointed lower Wednesday morning as investors watched for fresh insights from the Federal Reserve and evaluated the latest tariff proposals from President Donald Trump, which could mean a 25% import tax on automobile, pharmaceutical and semiconductors sold in the U.S.; Intel (

INTC

) stock moved lower following reports that a private equity firm was in talks to acquire part of the chipmaker’s business; Super Micro Computer (

SMCI

) shares gained as the server maker looks to extend an upward run after strong AI revenue projections; Investors are watching Apple (

AAPL

) ahead of the expected launch of a new low-cost iPhone model.

Here’s what investors need to know today.

1. Stock Futures Tick Lower as Investors Evaluate Tariffs, Await Fed Minutes

Stock futures trended mostly lower premarket as investors digested the latest tariff proposals from the White House and prepared for Federal Reserve meeting minutes, which can provide clues regarding the path ahead for interest rates. Futures associated with the
S&P 500
ticked narrowly lower after the benchmark index notched an
all-time-high in Tuesday’s session
, the first time in a month that it had set a new record. Futures tied
Dow Jones Industrial Average
also pointed lower, while those associated with the to the
Nasdaq
edged upward. Oil futures were higher by nearly 1% while gold futures also moved higher. Bitcoin (

BTCUSD

) was rising, trading above $96,000. Treasury yields also ticked higher.

2. Trump Floats 25% Tariff on Autos, Chips, Pharmaceuticals

The latest tariffs proposal from President Donald Trump could levy import taxes of 25% or more on
automobiles, semiconductors and pharmaceutical products
brought into the U.S.

The Wall Street Journal

reported that companies in the U.S. may get a phase-in period and that the tariff could be increased over the course of the year.

Bloomberg

reported that an announcement on the tariffs could come by April 2. The U.S. imported around 8 million passenger cars and light trucks last year, making up around half of the country’s vehicle sales. The proposal follows
other announcements from Trump
that include raising tariffs on
Chinese products
by 10% and imposing 25% tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.

3. Intel Falls Following Report on Negotiations Around Programmable Chips Unit

Intel shares fell by nearly 3% in premarket trading. Private equity firm Silver Lake Management was
nearing a deal to acquire
Intel’s Altera programmable chips unit, according to a

Bloomberg

report Tuesday. The decline follows a 16% advance in the prior session for Intel’s stock on reports that Broadcom and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. were
considering bids
for parts of the chipmaker.  Despite that jump, the stock has still lost more than a third of its value over the past 12 months—though its recent advances have eaten into those losses.