U.S. Stock Futures Fall as Nvidia Drops Despite Strong Earnings; Netflix Jumps 9%

U.S. stock index futures moved lower Thursday evening, extending Wall Street’s losses after Nvidia’s post-earnings decline weighed heavily on technology stocks. Investors questioned the chipmaker’s shareholder return strategy, overshadowing its strong quarterly results and pressuring broader market sentiment.

By 19:00 ET (00:00 GMT), S&P 500 futures slipped 0.4% to 6,892.0, Nasdaq 100 futures declined nearly 0.4% to 24,994.0, and Dow Jones futures fell 0.6% to 49,260.0. The pullback followed a sharp sell-off in tech shares during regular trading hours.

Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) dropped more than 5% despite reporting robust earnings driven by continued demand for AI chips and data center solutions. While the company posted bumper results, investors were disappointed by the lack of clarity around increased shareholder returns, especially after a significant rise in its cash reserves. Profit-taking after a strong pre-earnings rally also contributed to the decline. Concerns about rising competition in AI server chips added further pressure, as AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) recently secured a major supply agreement with Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META). Alphabet’s (NASDAQ: GOOGL) Google is also expanding its tensor chip ambitions, reportedly signing a multibillion-dollar deal with Meta.

The Nasdaq Composite fell 1.2% to 22,878.38, putting it on track for a 2.5% monthly loss. The S&P 500 dropped 0.5% to 6,908.89 and is down 0.4% for February, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average ended flat at 49,499.20 but remains up 1.2% for the month, supported by gains in non-tech sectors.

In contrast, Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) surged 9% in after-hours trading after confirming it would not raise its bid for Warner Bros Discovery (NASDAQ: WBD). The decision followed Warner’s preference for a $31-per-share offer from Paramount Skydance (NASDAQ: PSKY). Netflix stated that matching the higher bid was no longer financially attractive, though it stands to receive a $2.8 billion termination fee if the Paramount deal proceeds.

Elsewhere, Block (NYSE: XYZ) soared over 20% after announcing plans to cut 40% of its workforce, while CoreWeave tumbled 10% on a wider-than-expected loss and heavy capital expenditure forecasts, adding to volatility in the tech sector.