Skip to main content

Featured

Intel’s Weak Earnings Put Futures on Ice After a Choppy Week

U.S. stock futures lost momentum Friday morning as Wall Street tried to steady itself after several days of sharp swings. Dow futures slipped, while S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures hovered slightly lower, signaling a cautious start to the trading day. The hesitation came largely from Intel’s disappointing earnings report. The chipmaker’s results and weaker outlook weighed heavily on tech sentiment, sending its shares sharply lower in pre‑market trading. Investors had hoped for stronger numbers given the industry’s AI‑driven momentum, but Intel’s update suggested ongoing challenges in key segments like data‑center chips. The broader market has been wrestling with volatility all week, driven by shifting economic expectations and uneven corporate results. With the S&P 500 on track for another weekly decline, traders appear reluctant to make big moves until they see clearer signs of stability.

article

Netflix and Tech Earnings Lift S&P 500 to New Record

 

The S&P 500 index reached a new all-time high on Wednesday, as strong earnings reports from technology companies boosted investor confidence. Netflix was the star performer, surging 10% after adding more subscribers than expected in the fourth quarter of 2023. The streaming giant also announced plans to buy back up to $5 billion of its shares this year.

Other tech firms also delivered impressive results, such as ASML, the world’s largest supplier of chip-making equipment, which saw its orders more than triple in the fourth quarter. Microsoft also hit a record high, becoming the first company to surpass $3 trillion in market value.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 index rose 0.7%, outperforming the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which fell 0.3%. The Dow was dragged down by losses in Boeing, Chevron, and Goldman Sachs.

Meanwhile, the TSX Composite index edged lower by 0.1%, as gains in energy and materials stocks were offset by declines in financials and industrials. The Canadian dollar weakened against the US dollar, as the Bank of Canada kept its key interest rate unchanged at 0.25%.

Investors are now looking ahead to the European Central Bank’s policy meeting on Thursday, where it is expected to maintain its ultra-loose monetary stance and signal its readiness to support the euro zone economy amid rising Covid-19 cases and lockdowns.

Comments