S&P 500 futures increased Thursday evening following China’s indication of openness to trade negotiations with the U.S. Futures tied to the index rose 0.68%, while Dow Jones Industrial Average futures climbed 0.82% (337 points) and Nasdaq 100 futures advanced 0.32%. Despite positive market sentiment, Apple and Amazon stocks fell in after-hours trading due to tariff impacts and weaker-than-expected guidance. The major averages started May on a high note, driven by tech sector performances from Meta Platforms and Microsoft. With nearly two-thirds of S&P 500 companies reporting, 76% have exceeded earnings expectations. Investors await Friday’s jobs report, expecting payroll growth of 133,000, down from March’s 228,000, and a steady unemployment rate at 4.2%. This follows a week of mixed economic data, including a Q1 GDP contraction of 0.3% annualized. — new from CNBC
