The Wall Street futures opened lower on Wednesday night, as investors tracked a new round of corporate earnings, the increase in investments in artificial intelligence, and the surge in oil prices. The move also drew the attention of the cryptocurrency market, since changes in expectations for interest rates and inflation usually influence risk assets.
The futures contracts for the S&P 500 fell 0,1%, while Dow Jones futures lost about 75 points. Meanwhile, Nasdaq 100 futures dropped 0,4%, pressured mainly by Alphabet's performance.
Shares of Google's parent company fell about 3% in after-hours trading. The reaction came after the company raised its investment forecast for 2026, projecting capital expenditures of up to US$ 205 bilhões to expand its artificial intelligence infrastructure.
The revision reinforced doubts among some investors about the pace of investments by major technology companies. Although demand for AI remains high, the market began to assess more closely whether the growth of these expenses could reduce the companies' profitability in the coming years.
During the regular session, the Dow Jones closed virtually flat, down just 6,06 points. The S&P 500 fell 0.14%, while the Nasdaq Composite lost 0.57%, reflecting profit-taking in the technology sector.
While Wall Street was trading lower, Asian stock markets started Thursday higher. The Nikkei 225, from Japan, advanced 0.55%, and the Topix gained 0.22%. In South Korea, the Kospi opened up 2.3%, while the Kosdaq rose 1.42%. Meanwhile, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 posted gains of 0.72%.
Oil surges and heightens inflation concerns
In addition to corporate earnings, the market turned its attention back to the rise in oil prices. The advance came after an oil tanker was hit by an unidentified projectile in the Red Sea, near the coast of Saudi Arabia.
According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the impact caused a fire on the vessel. The crew managed to begin fighting the flames, and no casualties were reported.
At the same time, the current president of the United States, Donald Trump, raised geopolitical tensions by stating that he may bomb Iranian infrastructure if new attacks occur against vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz.
Against this backdrop, September futures contracts for Brent advanced about 2%, reaching US$ 95,99 por barril. Meanwhile, WTI rose approximately 1,7%, trading at US$ 88,27 por barril.
The rise in the commodity rekindled concerns about global inflation, a factor that may influence the next monetary policy decisions of the Federal Reserve.
"Without an abundance of strong profits to distract attention, investors' focus has turned back to the war," said Hardika Singh, economic strategist at Fundstrat. "Those who once believed oil prices had peaked are now being forced to completely redo their inflation calculations. Now, more than ever, pricing power remains essential for companies that want to be rewarded by investors."
Market watches earnings and economic data
Thursday's agenda remains busy for financial markets. Before Wall Street opens, companies such as American Airlines, T-Mobile, Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern will report their quarterly results. After the market closes, it will be Intel present its financial results.
In addition to corporate results, investors are awaiting the release of weekly jobless claims in the United States. The indicator may influence expectations regarding the next steps of the Federal Reserve, with possible effects on global stock markets and also on the cryptocurrency market, which remains attentive to the behavior of interest rates and international liquidity.