S&P 500 gains for third consecutive day

U.S. stock futures remained mostly steady on Tuesday night after a day of slight gains in the market. The S&P 500 finished with a rise of 0.16%, marking its third consecutive positive day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq also saw small increases. During extended trading hours, GameStop shares jumped 6%. This gain followed the company's announcement that its board approved a new plan involving potential investments in cryptocurrency. This decision mirrors a similar strategy taken by another company. GameStop reported a profit of $131.3 million for the fourth quarter, which is higher than last year's $63.1 million. Despite the positive stock performance, consumer confidence dipped to its lowest level in 12 years. Paul Hickey from Bespoke Investment Group commented that while survey data looks grim, actual economic indicators such as housing starts and new home sales suggest the economy may not be in recession just yet. Looking ahead, earnings reports from several companies are expected on Wednesday, along with key data on durable goods orders from February. On Tuesday, seven out of eleven sectors in the market closed positively. The communication services sector was the top performer, while utilities stocks lagged behind. Overall, the markets are closely watching economic signals for signs of strength or weakness as trading continues.