US stock futures showed gains in early trading on September 17, 2026, indicating a potential rebound after a slump triggered by the Federal Reserve's first interest-rate increase since 2023. The S&P 500 Index futures climbed 0.8%, and Nasdaq 100 futures rose 1.1% as of 6:57 a.m. in New York. This rally occurred as oil prices fell for a second consecutive day and Treasury yields experienced a slight decrease.
The previous day saw underlying gauges sell off after hawkish commentary from Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh and the release of the latest dot plot. The dot plot revealed that 16 out of 18 Fed officials had penciled in at least one more rate hike for the year, contributing to market jitters.
Despite this immediate reaction, Citadel Securities' Scott Rubner has previously expressed a long-term constructive view on US equities, although he noted a shift in near-term risk/reward. He identified September as a tactical downside window, not a broad bearish turn, suggesting a potential reset could create a better entry point around mid-October. This aligns with historical trends where September is often the weakest month for the S&P 500, with an average return of negative 1.1% and a typical selloff of negative 4.7%.
