Technology Stocks on the Rise: Nasdaq Leads US Stock Futures

On Wednesday, U.S. stock futures experienced a positive upward movement, led by the tech-heavy Nasdaq. The positive momentum came from an optimistic demand forecast in the field of Artificial Intelligence, overshadowing global economic concerns about new tariff threats from the U.S. government. Nasdaq 100 futures rose by 0.8% after Netflix impressed with unexpectedly strong quarterly numbers. S&P 500 futures also increased by 0.4%, while Dow Jones Industrial Average futures continued to climb by 0.1% following a rise of over 500 points on Tuesday. The existing upward trend was supported by a positive trading day in New York. Donald Trump remains a central figure in the financial markets. Investors are keenly observing the extent of his economic policy realignments. His latest move to position the U.S. as the leader in AI — backed by a $500 billion plan for private sector investments and the removal of previous administration's safety measures — primarily boosts tech stocks. Oracle's share price, a key partner in the "Stargate" initiative, increased by almost 9% in pre-market trading. SoftBank shares in Tokyo recorded a jump of 10%, driven by expectations of increased AI investment volume. Netflix also saw a 15% rise in early trading after reporting impressive gains in subscriber numbers and strong financial results. Despite worrying threats of a trade war sparked by Trump, market sentiment remained positive. The president recently suggested considering a 10% levy on Chinese imports starting February 1st and imposing additional tariffs on the EU. These extended tariff threats came after U.S. stocks rose on Tuesday, thanks to the relief that China was initially spared from Trump's trade-related first measures. Among the companies that released their earnings reports, Johnson & Johnson shone with sales and profits exceeding expectations, driven by cancer therapy sales. Procter & Gamble also positively surprised with its sales figures, which boosted its share price.