09:20 AM EDT, 10/24/2025 (MT Newswires) -- US equity futures were up ahead of Friday's opening bell as traders digested a key inflation metric for clues on the Federal Reserve's next move on monetary policy.

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were up 0.5%, S&P 500 futures were 0.6% higher, and Nasdaq futures were up 0.9%.

Oil prices were higher, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude up 0.2% at $66.15 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude 0.1% higher at $61.85 per barrel.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics' September consumer price index, released at 8:30 am ET, showed a 0.3% increase in prices, compared with estimates compiled by Bloomberg for a 0.4% gain to match August's reading.

The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index, slated for 10 am ET, is seen unrevised from the flash report at 55.0 in the final reading for October.

In other world markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 1.4% higher, Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 0.7% higher, and China's Shanghai Composite finished 0.7% higher. Meanwhile, the UK's FTSE 100 was up 0.1%, and Germany's DAX index was down 0.1% in Europe's early afternoon session.

In equities, Comfort Systems USA ( FIX ) shares were 17% higher after the company reported late Thursday higher Q3 earnings and sales. MidWestOne Financial Group ( MOFG ) stock was up 35%, a day after the bank posted higher Q3 adjusted earnings.

On the losing side, Coya Therapeutics ( COYA ) shares were 11% lower after the company priced a $20 million public offering of common stock.