U.S. Stock Futures Hold Steady Amid Tech AI Spending Jitters and Economic Policy
U.S. stock futures remained stable as markets reacted to concerns over Big Tech's AI investment and President Donald Trump's economic policy.
Big Tech AI Spending
* Nasdaq (NQ=F) futures eked out a 0.03% gain.
* S&P 500 (ES=F) futures climbed 0.09%.
* Dow Jones (YM=F) futures edged up 0.11%.
Alphabet Q4 Earnings
* Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL) saw its stock decline during regular trading but remained flat in after-hours trading.
* The company's earnings report revealed a drop in cloud revenue, raising investor concerns about AI spending.
Nvidia Benefits from AI Focus
* Nvidia (NVDA) shares gained 6% on Tuesday and remained stable after-hours.
* The company appears to be benefiting from Big Tech's continued investment in AI.
Amazon Earnings Anticipated
* Amazon (AMZN) is scheduled to release earnings after market close on Thursday.
* Investors are eager to see the company's results after Google's cloud revenue setback.
Trump's Tariffs Impact Businesses
* Ford (FORD) stock fell in after-hours trading despite meeting earnings expectations.
* The CFO cited tariffs as a headwind that would "have a major impact on our industry."
* Chipotle also noted tariff exposure, anticipating a 10% hit to profits.
Inflation Concerns and Federal Reserve
* Concerns are growing that new tariffs could increase inflation.
* Federal Reserve officials reiterated a "wait and see" approach to interest rate cuts.
* Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant stated that he and President Trump would focus on lowering 10-year Treasury yields instead.
Gold Hits Record Highs
* Gold (GC=F) reached record highs for the fifth consecutive day.
* Demand for the asset is soaring as banks and investors seek stability amid trade tensions.
* Futures are trading at $2885 per ounce.
Oil Prices Rebound with Saudi Price Increase
* Oil prices recovered from earlier losses after Saudi Arabia's state oil company announced a significant increase in March prices.
* Brent crude futures (BZ=F) gained 14 cents to $74.75 a barrel.
* West Texas Intermediate (CL=F) crude rose 18 cents to $71.21 a barrel.