Stock futures point to a higher opening on Friday after a sell-off in the previous session, suggesting traders are putting their concerns about interest rate hikes behind them. However, the key economic data point of the day — the non-farm payrolls report — could reignite those worries. Analysts warn that a faster-than-expected rise in average hourly earnings, a key inflation gauge, could aggravate concerns about the Federal Reserve raising rates more aggressively. However, they also suggest that strong economic data, such as a larger-than-expected job gain, might only cause a temporary pullback in the market. The market will also be closely watching upcoming speeches from Federal Reserve officials, as their comments on inflation and potential rate hikes could significantly impact stock prices. The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), a measure of market fear, has risen further, highlighting the ongoing volatility. Futures Today Futures Performance On Friday ( as of 6:40 a.m. EDT) Futures Performance (+/-) Nasdaq 100 +0.37% S&P 500 +0.30% Dow +0.19% R2K +0.08% In premarket trading on Friday, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:SPY) gained 0.28% to $514.53, and the Invesco QQQ ETF (NASDAQ:QQQ) rose 0.32% to $436.74 according to Benzinga Pro data. Cues From Previous Session: Comments from Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari on Thursday spooked the market, leading to a sharp decline in late afternoon trading. Kashkari stated that the Fed wouldn’t cut rates even if inflation remains stagnant. This triggered broad-based selling, with interest-rate-sensitive sectors and growth stocks suffering the ...