Stock futures experienced a rise on Thursday as shares of Nvidia advanced following better-than-expected quarterly results. Futures tied to the S&P 500 increased by 0.7%, while Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.9%. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures rose by 132 points, equivalent to 0.3%. Nvidia’s shares climbed 1.8% after the company exceeded fourth-quarter estimates on both revenue and earnings. Nvidia also issued strong guidance, reflecting ongoing demand fueled by the artificial intelligence race. Other technology shares saw gains as well, with Broadcom and Tesla each climbing approximately 2.3%. Ido Caspi, a research analyst at Global X, commented, “Although revenue growth has decelerated, Nvidia’s 78% YoY increase remains impressive given its scale, underscoring strong demand for AI infrastructure.” This performance is expected to ease investor concerns about potential slowdowns due to emerging competitors like DeepSeek. On Wednesday, stocks retreated from session highs as investors expressed concerns over President Donald Trump’s trade policies. During his first cabinet meeting, Trump announced that duties against Canada and Mexico would take effect and that his trade war would include a 25% tariff on goods from the European Union. The S&P 500 managed only a 0.01% gain on Wednesday, ending a streak of four consecutive days of losses. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 188 points, or about 0.4%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite added nearly 0.3%. With just two trading sessions left in February, all three major averages are on track to finish lower. The broad market index has dropped 1.4%, while the Dow and the Nasdaq have each declined more than 2%. Fawad Razaqzada, a market analyst at Forex, advised caution, stating, “The remarkable strength of equities in recent months suggests that any downside should be approached with care.” He added, “For the bulls, a corrective move lower wouldn’t be unwelcome, as it could present more attractive entry opportunities in the future.” Indeed, recent economic reports—including a softer-than-expected consumer confidence reading, disappointing retail sales numbers, and a weak consumer sentiment reading—have unsettled stocks and raised concerns about the health of the U.S. economy. Traders will be monitoring Thursday’s weekly jobless claims and looking ahead to Friday’s personal consumption expenditures price index, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge. — news from CNBC
