Russell 2000 futures outperform peers despite rate cut delays. 3/25/26

The June Russell 2000 futures led the equity quadrant today, marking a 1.72% daily high and outperforming the other major indices despite a late-session pullback. Small caps remain particularly sensitive to shifts in WTI Crude Oil futures and domestic inflationary pressures due to a lack of global diversification. While the long end of the curve saw some relief, front-end yields for the 2-Year Treasury Note and 10-Year Treasury Note remain sticky, suggesting that the market is pricing in a longer wait for potential Fed rate cuts. This environment serves as a primary headwind for the Russell 2000 compared to large-cap peers like the Nasdaq-100. Learn about trading futures and options at CME Group: https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/equities.html #Russell2000 #SmallCaps #Futures