NextFin News -
Pre-Market Performance
U.S. equity futures were mixed ahead of the open, with technology leadership offsetting softer blue-chip pricing. Nasdaq 100 futures rose 109.3 points, or 0.36%, to 30,423.0; S&P 500 futures were flat at 7,587.3; and Dow Jones futures slipped 34.0 points, or 0.06%, to 52,436.0.
European markets were narrowly mixed: the FTSE 100 traded at 10,492.57, down 1.64 points, or 0.02%, after moving between 10,468.43 and 10,504.77. France’s CAC 40 advanced 9.83 points, or 0.12%, to 8,457.10, while Germany’s DAX fell 37.65 points, or 0.15%, to 24,872.76.
In commodities and FX, oil stabilized after a sharp two-session decline tied to the U.S.-Iran peace framework. WTI crude futures traded near $76.74, up $0.69, or 0.91%, while Brent futures were around $79.52, up $0.56, or 0.71%. Gold futures eased $10.00, or 0.23%, to $4,344.40; silver futures slipped 0.29% to $69.81; copper futures rose 0.13% to $6.5123; and the U.S. Dollar Index gained 0.19% to 99.465.
Hot News
- U.S. futures steady as investors balance Fed risk and easing geopolitical stress. Equity futures held a mixed-to-firmer tone as investors focused on the first Federal Reserve decision under Chair Kevin Warsh and assessed the market impact of the U.S.-Iran framework deal. Nasdaq futures outperformed, supported by renewed interest in AI and semiconductor-linked names.
- Oil stabilizes below $80 Brent after two-day slide. Brent and WTI steadied after both benchmarks dropped roughly 10% over the prior two sessions. Traders are weighing the prospect that the framework deal could reopen key shipping routes and allow additional Iranian barrels back into global markets.
- Global equities trade mixed as markets await deal details. Overseas trading was restrained, with European indexes split and oil holding below $80. Investors continued to monitor the terms and timing of the U.S.-Iran agreement while Asian technology-heavy markets showed relative strength.
U.S. Stock Focus
- Intel — 18A-P manufacturing update lifts chip sentiment. Intel said its 18A-P process has reached the risk production stage, citing a 9% performance improvement at equivalent power or an 18% power reduction at the same processing speed versus the original 18A node. The update supported activity in semiconductor and chip-equipment names.
- Applied Materials — Citi raises price target to $710. Citi lifted its Applied Materials price target to $710 from $550, updating assumptions for global wafer-fab equipment demand and projecting bull-case WFE spending of roughly $145 billion in 2026, $200 billion in 2027 and $250 billion in 2028.
- Lam Research — Citi raises target to $450. Lam Research was included in Citi’s semiconductor-equipment target revisions, with the price target raised to $450 from $315, citing AI infrastructure investment, memory demand and capacity constraints.
- KLA — Citi raises target to $290. Citi lifted its KLA price target to $290 from $206.40, emphasizing capacity expansion at foundries and memory makers as support for process-control and inspection demand.
- Jabil — Quarterly earnings beat expectations. Jabil reported EPS of $3.16 versus a $3.08 forecast, with revenue of $8.8 billion against expectations of $8.55 billion, highlighting demand from cloud, AI infrastructure and advanced manufacturing customers.
- CarMax — Results top estimates. CarMax posted EPS of $1.31, ahead of the $0.96 consensus, with revenue of $8.0 billion versus expectations of $7.39 billion, offering a fresh read on used-vehicle demand and retail auto margins.
- SpaceX — Post-IPO rally remains a major pre-market theme. SpaceX continued to attract heavy trading interest following last week’s record public debut and was among the most active names pre-market.
- Lionsgate — Shares fall after Netflix takeover speculation fades. Lionsgate shares declined after reports that Netflix was not interested in acquiring the studio, refocusing attention on Lionsgate’s standalone strategy.
- Moderna — Flu vaccine review supports pre-market strength. Moderna was active after FDA staff reviewers said immune-response data for its flu shot may support effectiveness in adults aged 65 and older, boosting interest in the company’s respiratory-vaccine pipeline.
Explore more exclusive insights at nextfin.ai.
