01 Stock Market
As of Apr 1, U.S. stock index futures performed as follows: Dow futures advanced 0.81%, S&P 500 futures gained 0.87%, and Nasdaq 100 futures rallied 1.16%. The up-move reflects relief over the prospect of a near-term cease-fire in the Middle East and optimism that easing energy prices could reinvigorate growth stocks just as investors prepare for a heavy earnings calendar.
Notable Stock Movers: MU up 3.13% at $348.42 after upbeat memory-chip demand data; NVDA up 1.40% at $176.84 following a new inference-chip partnership; MSFT up 1.60% at $376.10 on a fresh $5.5 billion Asian cloud commitment; leverage-play SOXL up 6.20% at $50.88 as semiconductors catch a bid; TSLA up 2.27% at $380.18 tracking a rebound in risk appetite; whereas NKE fell 11.28% at $46.86 after forecasting lower revenue, underscoring consumer-demand headwinds.
Futures strength is concentrated in technology and electric-vehicle names, aided by solid delivery updates from NIO, Xpeng, and Li Auto. Conversely, energy majors such as Chevron and Exxon are weaker in thin pre-market trade as crude retreats toward $98 a barrel, trimming the sector’s early-year leadership and helping ease inflation worries.
02 Other Markets
• 10-year U.S. Treasury yield fell 0.69%, to 4.28%.
• U.S. Dollar Index fell 0.47% to 99.39.
• WTI crude oil futures fell 2.77% to 98.57 USD/barrel; COMEX gold futures rose 2.20% to 4,781.40 USD/ounce.
03 Key News
1. Microsoft announced a $5.5 billion multiyear investment to expand cloud and artificial-intelligence infrastructure in Singapore. Management said the plan includes building new data-center capacity and skilling programs for 100,000 local workers. The commitment reinforces Microsoft’s strategy to cement its AI leadership across the Asia-Pacific region.
2. Nike projected an unexpected sales decline through year-end, sending shares sharply lower. Executives blamed lingering inventory overhangs and continued weakness in China, warning that fourth-quarter revenue could contract even as marketing spend rises. The outlook raises questions about consumer resilience heading into summer.
3. Home-furnishings retailer RH missed quarterly earnings and revenue targets, citing tariffs and severe weather disruptions. Management also guided for a softer first quarter, triggering a pre-market slide as investors reassessed prospects for discretionary spending in a fragile housing market.
4. Beyond Meat reported falling revenue and delayed its annual filing due to internal-control issues. The plant-based protein maker acknowledged material weaknesses in financial reporting and flagged lower demand, prompting heightened regulatory scrutiny and a pre-market share drop.
5. nCino beat fourth-quarter earnings expectations and unveiled a $100 million share-repurchase program. Strong demand for its cloud banking platform boosted subscription revenue and margin expansion, propelling the stock more than 18% higher before the bell.
6. XPeng disclosed March vehicle deliveries of 27,415, up 80% from February and totaling 62,682 for the quarter. Management confirmed a three-year Latin American expansion roadmap, including pure-electric and range-extended models, supporting the company’s global diversification strategy.
7. Li Auto delivered 41,053 vehicles in March, lifting first-quarter cumulative shipments to 83,465. With production bottlenecks resolved, the company highlighted rapid uptake of its Li i6 model and teased an all-new Li L9 launch for the next quarter.
8. NIO reported 35,486 March deliveries, a 136% year-on-year surge, buoyed by its All-New ES8 SUV. Management emphasized continued market-share gains in China’s premium segment and reiterated confidence in hitting full-year volume targets.
9. BYD recorded a seventh consecutive monthly sales decline, with March deliveries down 20.5% year-on-year to 300,222 units. Fierce price competition and the launch of a higher-priced battery lineup weighed on domestic volumes, though overseas sales remained a relative bright spot.
10. President Donald Trump signaled the U.S. military campaign against Iran could conclude within three weeks, boosting risk sentiment. The statement eased geopolitical tensions that had rattled markets, contributing to the drop in oil prices and the uptick in equity futures ahead of Wall Street’s opening bell.
Sources: Reuters, Dow Jones, Tiger Newspress, public market data
Disclaimer: For informational purposes only; not investment advice.
