U.S. stock markets are trading without a single direction at the start of trading this Thursday. Investors are following the corporate earnings season, the outlook for the artificial intelligence sector, and developments in the conflict between the United States and Iran, factors that also influence the cryptocurrency market.
At the beginning of the session, the Dow Jones was up 0,22%, at 52.776 pontos, while the S&P 500 posted a slight decline of 0,03%, at 7.569 pontos. The Nasdaq Composite was down 0,52%, to 26.133 pontos, pressured mainly by shares of semiconductor companies. Meanwhile, the Russell 2000 was up 0,53%, while the volatility index VIX advanced 0,96%.
Among commodities, gold fell 1,13%, trading at US$ 4.006 per ounce. August WTI oil was up 0,44%, to US$ 79,95 a barrel. In the cryptocurrency market, Bitcoin was trading near US$ 64.665, down 1,03% over the last 24 hours.
The semiconductor sector continued to weigh on the Nasdaq for the second consecutive session. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) reported record revenue in the second quarter and raised its investment forecast for 2026, but the shares lost momentum after the company warned of possible price increases.
The earnings season also brought better-than-expected figures for UnitedHealth Group and GE Aerospace, released before the market opened. After the close, attention turns to the earnings report from Netflix, one of the most anticipated events for investors this week.
On the geopolitical front, investors continue to monitor the conflict between the United States and Iran. Concern remains focused on the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz following the recent airstrikes carried out by the United States. In addition, reports indicate that current U.S. President Donald Trump received options to expand military operations, increasing market caution.
Economic data also remain on the radar. Retail sales showed the impact of fuel spending on consumption in June, while jobless claims came in below estimates, reinforcing the perception of a still resilient labor market that is being closely watched by the Federal Reserve.