Stock Futures Rise to Start Busy Week

Stock futures were pointing to further gains on Monday, with investors still confident that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates on Wednesday, but a little unsure about what the central bank will do next. The biggest story for markets this week is likely to be the Federal Open Market Committee’s monetary policy decision on Wednesday. Wall Street is counting on a quarter-point rate cut–but Chair Jerome Powell is expected to strike a hawkish tone in his post-decision press conference, meaning investors’ focus could quickly turn to what the Fed does in January and beyond.