US Stock Futures Slip After Wall Street Rally Fueled by US-Iran Deal and Chipmaker Surge 
Asian Stocks Surge as Oil Prices Fall and Strong US Dollar Weighs on Markets 
Japan Inflation Stays Below BOJ Target Despite Rate Hike and Rising Energy Cost Risks 
Europe EV Demand Surges as Fuel Prices Rise Amid Iran Conflict 
China’s AI Manufacturing Boom Masks Weak Consumer Economy, Citi Says 
China Keeps Loan Prime Rates Unchanged for 13th Straight Month as Policymakers Prioritize Credit Demand Recovery 
Yen Near 40-Year Lows Despite BOJ Rate Hike, Markets Brace for Possible Intervention 
BOJ Signals More Rate Hikes as Inflation Risks Rise Amid Energy Price Pressures 
Gold Prices Slide as Hawkish Fed and Strong Dollar Weigh on Bullion 
Oil Prices Steady as U.S.-Iran Truce Uncertainty and Middle East Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 
Italy’s Economy Outpaces Eurozone Peers as Investment Spending Fuels Growth 
Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Index Hits New 52-Week Low; Gold Falls and Oil Mixed 
Russian Stocks End Flat as MOEX Index Hits New 52-Week Low 
Canada Imposes 10% Tariff on Canned Vegetable Imports to Protect Domestic Industry 
Trump Says No Hormuz Strait Tolls During 60-Day Iran Ceasefire 
Oil Prices Slide as U.S.-Iran Deal and Hormuz Reopening Ease Supply Concerns 
U.S. stock index futures rose Thursday evening, driven by strong earnings from Alphabet Inc. and renewed investor enthusiasm for artificial intelligence (AI) and tech stocks. Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) jumped nearly 5% in after-hours trading after surpassing Q1 earnings expectations and announcing a $70 billion stock buyback. The company also reaffirmed its aggressive AI development roadmap, boosting investor confidence in sustained demand for data centers and chips.
Alphabet’s performance helped lift other major tech players. Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) and NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) both gained over 1% post-market, while chipmaker TSMC (NYSE:TSM) rose 0.5%. ServiceNow Inc. (NYSE:NOW) also contributed to bullish sentiment with stronger-than-expected results, reinforcing momentum in AI-focused software and infrastructure.
S&P 500 futures rose 0.4% to 5,531.0, while Nasdaq 100 futures climbed 0.5% to 19,427.25. The Dow Jones futures traded flat at 40,260.0. Earlier, the S&P 500 gained 2%, the Nasdaq surged 2.7%, and the Dow rose 1.2%.
Investor optimism was further supported by U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting ongoing trade talks with China, despite denials from Chinese officials. Markets remained focused on the possibility of tariff reductions amid trade war concerns.
However, the earnings landscape outside tech was mixed. Consumer-facing companies like Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG), Chipotle (NYSE:CMG), PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP), and Skechers (NYSE:SKX) cut or withdrew guidance, citing uncertain consumer spending. Intel Corp. (NASDAQ:INTC) fell 5% in after-hours trading despite beating estimates, as weak guidance and macroeconomic risks weighed on sentiment.
With more tech earnings ahead, including Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) next week, investor attention remains on AI growth potential and corporate guidance amid economic uncertainty.
