U.S. stock futures were mixed early Thursday as Micron Technology (MU) delivered blowout fiscal fourth-quarter results, reigniting enthusiasm around the AI and semiconductor trade.
Nasdaq futures climbed 0.6% as of 4:00 a.m. ET, while S&P 500 futures were flat and Dow and Russell 2000 futures each dipped 0.4%.
Micron (MU) posted record fiscal Q4 results and robust FY27 guidance, adding that memory supply constraint conditions will remain tight through 2028 due to surging AI demand.
On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) remained “extremely bullish,” while the Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) held at “bullish” heading into the fourth quarter.
A Stocktwits poll with more than 19,000 responses found that 40% of respondents planned to buy more in Q4, while another 35% planned to stay the course.
The U.S. 10-year Treasury yield finished the third quarter at its highest level since 2007 after its biggest quarterly rise in decades, climbing to around 5.3%, even as softer inflation data reduced the odds of an October Fed rate hike.
Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari flagged a higher neutral rate and sticky long-term yields on Wednesday, keeping investor attention firmly on the rate outlook heading into Friday’s jobs report.
President Donald Trump unveiled plans on Wednesday for South Korea to invest about $200 billion in U.S. projects, including eight nuclear plants, adding another macro variable for markets to digest.
Oracle (ORCL) shares rose over 2% in early premarket following reports that China’s Tencent leased 100,000 chips from Oracle’s Southeast Asia data centers to boost its AI infrastructure.
Alphabet (GOOGL) shares rose over 2% in early premarket after CEO Sundar Pichai previewed the new “Gemini 4 Argon” AI model, designed for advanced internal software, cyber, and quantum workflows.
Synopsys (SNPS) shares rose over 2% in early premarket after the company outlined strong long-term targets, projecting nearly 15% CAGR through FY30 fueled by custom silicon demand and its AI chip-design collaboration with OpenAI.
Constellation Energy (CEG) shares rose over 3% in early premarket after announcing a 20-year power purchase agreement with Amazon (AMZN) to supply 190 megawatts of nuclear capacity from Calvert Cliffs for AI data center needs.
Nike (NKE) shares were under mild pressure ahead of its Q1 fiscal earnings report scheduled after the market close, with the stock having fallen roughly 80% from its November 2021 peak.
Rocket Lab (RKLB) shares rose over 3% in early premarket after securing a 20-launch commercial deal with Synspective for its Electron launch vehicle, its largest commercial contract to date.
AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) shares rose 2% in early premarket as three BlueBird satellites head toward Cape Canaveral, with the company continuing to build out its direct-to-device satellite network.
Paramount Skydance (PSKY) and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) are in focus after pricing a $45 billion debt package and obtaining court approval to finalize their combined merger, expected to close on October 6, 2026.
Eli Lilly (LLY) remains in the spotlight after Phase 3 ACHIEVE-4 trial data showed its oral GLP-1 candidate, Foundayo (orforglipron), demonstrated non-inferior cardiovascular safety alongside significant A1C and weight reduction versus insulin glargine.
Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA) is drawing investor attention following institutional disclosures showing Cathie Wood’s ARK Investment bought 467,000 shares on Wednesday.
Beyond Nike, earnings watchers should also track reports from Accenture (ACN) and McCormick & Co. (MKC), while markets await the September ISM Manufacturing PMI report later in the session.
