US stock futures showed little movement on Thursday as investors digested recent earnings from leading chip manufacturer Nvidia (NVDA), seeking insights into the future direction of the artificial intelligence market. Futures linked to the Dow Jones Industrial Average (YM=F) dipped slightly below the flatline, despite a strong day for stocks overall on Wednesday. Contracts for both the S&P 500 (ES=F) and the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 (NQ=F) also remained largely unchanged.
Nvidia shares initially surged following a significant earnings beat but then settled to an approximately 1% increase in premarket activity. The semiconductor giant exceeded Wall Street’s expectations for both quarterly profit and revenue, alleviating some concerns surrounding the so-called “AI scare trade” currently impacting the markets. In stark contrast, shares of Salesforce (CRM) fell around 4%, continuing a downward trend exacerbated by AI-related fears, with the stock down 28% for the year to date.
Looking ahead, the economic calendar is packed with key data, including weekly jobless claims set to be released on Thursday, along with the Producer Price Index report for January due on Friday. Earnings reports are also flooding in, with quarterly results from Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), Dell Technologies (DELL), and CoreWeave (CRWV) slated for Thursday.
Several stocks are trending in premarket trading. Marriott Vacations (VAC) saw an 8% increase after exceeding analyst expectations in its fourth-quarter earnings report. However, Trade Desk (TTD) experienced a sharp decline of 16% after announcing fourth-quarter earnings that, while beating estimates, included a first-quarter revenue forecast of $678 million that fell short of projections. Meanwhile, Zoom (ZM) shares dropped by 3% after the company forecast quarterly profits below Wall Street expectations.
Salesforce’s stock suffered a nearly 4% decline in premarket trading after the company provided a fiscal 2027 revenue forecast that disappointed investors. The San Francisco-based firm highlighted sluggish spending in the enterprise software sector as it heavily invests in its AI platform to stimulate demand.
In additional news, Baidu’s stock fell by 20%, reflecting pressures from regulatory demands in China’s burgeoning AI sector. Nvidia’s shares, however, continued to perform well in extended trading, buoyed by promising first-quarter guidance and solid fourth-quarter results.
