U.S. stock futures edged downward early Thursday as market participants navigated a murky mix of trade-related developments, escalating geopolitical tensions, and awaited key inflation indicators. President Donald Trump signaled a possible delay in implementing new tariffs,

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq composite index lost more than 1 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.8 percent, dragged down by three of its 30 stocks.

Stocks have been trading sideways all day, but the Dow, especially, has been stuck in a narrow range. The blue-chip index was recently up 17 points, moving in and out of positive territory. It has traded as low as 42,

The major U.S. index futures on the Dow Jones, S&P and Nasdaq are currently pointing to a notably lower open for the markets on Friday, with stocks likely to show a significant move back to the downside after ending the previous session modestly higher.

Eastern time, the S&P 500 was 0.1% lower, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.5%, and the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.2%.

Futures on Wall Street are down even after US President Donald Trump announced that a deal with China is "done" and is only subject to approval from leaders of both countries. However, Dow futures are currently down 150 points,

Stock futures moved higher Wednesday morning as investors digested an encouraging report on inflation and the latest developments on trade talks between the U.S. and China.

The former CBS News president and Almar Latour spoke at the Wall Street Journal CEO Council Summit in London about the topic of "Media, Machines, and Mayhem: Truth as a Competitive Advantage."