Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq futures climb as Bank of America beats, rate-cut hopes rise

Group 1: Market Overview - US stock futures rose on Wednesday, with Dow Jones Industrial Average futures up approximately 0.4%, S&P 500 contracts increasing by 0.6%, and Nasdaq 100 contracts rising by 0.8% [1] - A solid start to the earnings season is boosting market sentiment despite ongoing US-China trade tensions and a prolonged US government shutdown [1] Group 2: Company Earnings - Bank of America reported a 23% increase in profit, benefiting from a surge in major deals on Wall Street [2] - Other companies reporting include PNC Financial and Abbott Laboratories, with ASML and LVMH also showing surprise earnings beats that positively impacted their stock prices [2] Group 3: Federal Reserve Insights - Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell indicated that "downside risks to employment appear to have risen," suggesting potential for more interest rate cuts [3] - Investors are closely monitoring Powell's comments due to the current lack of economic data resulting from the government shutdown [3] Group 4: US-China Trade Tensions - US-China trade tensions remain a concern, with President Trump considering an embargo on cooking oil from China in response to China's reduction in US soybean purchases [4] - China's recent sanctions on five US subsidiaries of South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha have further escalated these tensions [4]