US stock index futures close lower; Russell 2000 drops 1.53%

The standout here is the small-cap underperformance, with Russell 2000 futures falling far more than the large-cap benchmarks. That divergence suggests risk appetite is thinning at the margin rather than broad-based selling, since the major indices moved only modestly. It matters most for small-cap and domestically oriented exposure, which tends to be more sensitive to financing conditions and economic sentiment. Whether this small-cap weakness persists or reverts toward the majors is the open question worth watching.