(Updates with economic data, recent oil price movement, world markets' overview and corporate stock movements.)
US equity futures were mostly higher pre-bell Thursday as Nvidia's (NVDA) earnings and an upswing in semiconductor-related stocks lifted market sentiment.
Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were 0.1% lower, S&P 500 futures were up 0.4%, and Nasdaq futures were 1% higher.
Nvidia was up 6.2% after the company reported fiscal Q2 earnings and revenue late Wednesday that more than doubled from a year ago.
The Trump administration is considering sweeping new tariffs on semiconductors that could extend to products containing chips, including laptops, gaming consoles and data center servers, Politico reported, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.
Marvell Technology (MRVL) is expected to report its fiscal Q2 earnings after the market closes. Analysts polled by FactSet expect adjusted earnings of $0.93 per share on revenue of $2.72 billion.
Oil prices were higher, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude up 0.4% at $87.25 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude 0.3% higher at $82.47 per barrel.
The US advance international trade in goods deficit widened to $118.81 billion in July from $101.41 billion in June, compared with expectations to narrow to $100.5 billion in a survey compiled by Bloomberg. Initial jobless claims dropped to 203,000 in the week ended Aug. 22 from an upwardly revised 207,000 level in the previous week, compared with expectations for an increase to 208,000.
The Federal Reserve's annual three-day Economic Policy Symposium in Wyoming begins in the morning, with Fed Chief Kevin Warsh slated to deliver keynote remarks on Friday.
In other world markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 0.2% lower, Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 0.3% lower, and China's Shanghai Composite finished 1.1% higher. Meanwhile, the UK's FTSE 100 was down 0.4%, and Germany's DAX index was 0.4% higher in Europe's early afternoon session.
In equities, stocks of Marvell Technology and Micron Technology (MU) were up 4% and 4.2%, respectively, as part of a wider rally in the semiconductor sector. CrowdStrike (CRWD) shares were up 9.5% after the company posted better-than-expected fiscal Q2 results and boosted its fiscal 2027 net new annual recurring revenue guidance. Salesforce (CRM) stock was 10% higher after the company reported late Wednesday higher fiscal Q2 financial results and raised its fiscal 2027 guidance.
On the losing side, Moderna (MRNA) shares fell 3.5% after the company said it plans to offer $2 billion worth of convertible senior notes due 2032 in a private placement. HP (HPQ) stock was down 12% despite the company posting higher adjusted earnings and revenue for fiscal Q3 on late Wednesday.