Nasdaq 100 & S&P 500: Lowe’s Pops on Earnings, Nvidia’s After-Hours Results Awaited

S&P 500 Futures Signal Potential Rebound as Nvidia Rises Ahead of Earnings

Stock futures advanced on Wednesday, suggesting a potential recovery for the S&P 500 after four straight losing sessions, as traders looked ahead to Nvidia’s key earnings report. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 111 points (0.4%), while S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 futures rose 0.5% and 0.8%, respectively.

On Tuesday, the S&P 500 slipped 0.5%, and the Nasdaq Composite dropped nearly 1.4%, extending their losing streaks to four sessions. The Dow Jones managed a 0.4% gain, standing out as the only major index to close in positive territory. Concerns about the economy persisted after the Conference Board reported weaker-than-expected consumer confidence, adding to recent soft retail sales and consumer sentiment data.

Can Nvidia’s Earnings Turn Market Sentiment?

Nvidia’s fourth-quarter earnings, expected after the closing bell, could provide a fresh catalyst for the market. The stock climbed 2% in premarket trading, although it has declined more than 5% in 2025. The emergence of DeepSeek has sparked concerns about the sustainability of Nvidia’s AI-driven momentum.

NYU Stern School of Business finance professor Aswath Damodaran told CNBC that Nvidia might beat analyst expectations but still underwhelm the market if expectations are set too high. A repeat of its September performance could trigger volatility, particularly in tech stocks.

Which Stocks Are Moving in Premarket Trading?

Super Micro Computer surged 21% after meeting Nasdaq’s listing deadline by filing financial results with the SEC. General Motors rose almost 4% after boosting its quarterly dividend by 25% to 15 cents per share and announcing a $6 billion share buyback program, with $2 billion slated for the second quarter. Anheuser-Busch InBev added over 8% following a fourth-quarter earnings beat, with revenue of $14.84 billion surpassing the $14.18 billion estimate.

Stellantis slipped 3% after a sharp 70% drop in full-year profit, while Lucid Group fell 8% despite a narrower-than-expected quarterly loss, as the EV maker aims to more than double vehicle production this year.

Are Earnings Driving Sector Performance?

Home improvement retailer Lowe’s gained nearly 4% on strong fiscal fourth-quarter earnings and revenue. Intuit rose 8% after reporting fiscal second-quarter earnings of $3.32 per share on $3.96 billion in revenue, exceeding analyst expectations. Workday jumped nearly 11% as solid fourth-quarter results beat forecasts.

On the downside, Instacart dropped more than 8% after missing revenue expectations. Cava Group climbed nearly 4% despite issuing a weaker annual same-store sales outlook.

What’s on the Radar for Traders?

Traders are keeping an eye on Wednesday’s economic data, including new home sales and building permits. However, the primary focus remains Friday’s release of the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge. A surprise in the PCE data could shift expectations for future interest rate policy.

With Nvidia’s earnings on deck and critical economic data approaching, market volatility could persist. A strong earnings report from Nvidia may boost tech stocks, while soft economic data could push investors toward defensive plays.

More Information in our Economic Calendar.