Indices (e.g. SPX) and their derivatives (e.g. SPY, SP/ES futures, SSFs, etc.) all move around a little, depending on who's buying/selling size where and when. Arb programs keep them within a few ticks of each other. There are also reasons for slight premiums/discounts in the relationships, like transaction/creation/redemption costs, interest rates, dividends, distributions, etc.
The common wisdom is that the futures action usually drives the other stuff (including the cash, via arb program buying in the component stocks).
Reverre's "The Complete Arbitrage Deskbook" is a decent reference for this stuff.