Stock futures in the U.S. were slightly lower on Wednesday as investors showed caution while awaiting economic data and more details on the new tariffs set to be imposed by the Trump administration next week.

Recent statements by President Trump suggesting that not all tariffs would be implemented by the upcoming deadline and that some countries might be exempted provided a brief sense of stability to Wall Street. Despite this, uncertainties persist regarding the extent of tariffs, potential retaliatory measures from trading partners, and concerns about their impact on the global economy and businesses.

A recent decline in U.S. consumer confidence in March, the lowest in over four years, underscores the prevailing uncertainty related to tariffs and their effects on American households.

In response to fears that tariffs could lead to inflation and hinder economic growth, investors have been moving away from U.S. equities and exploring other investment opportunities. Key indexes like the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq experienced a correction, dropping 10% from their recent record highs, but have shown some recovery since mid-March.

Leading up to the release of various economic indicators this week, attention will focus on the personal consumption expenditures price index, a key measure of inflation favored by the Federal Reserve.

According to Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee, economic uncertainty may delay the next interest rate cut, as stated in an interview with the Financial Times.

Market movements to watch include GameStop's premarket surge of 12.9% following its decision to adopt bitcoin as a treasury reserve asset and the announcement of its fourth-quarter results, as well as Dollar Tree's 7.1% increase amid reports of the company nearing a sale of its Family Dollar business to private equity investors for around $1 billion.