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US Equity Futures Edge Lower Pre-Bell as Nvidia Stock Flat Despite Earnings Beat, Middle East Peace Talks Drag

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US equity futures were edging lower pre-bell Thursday despite upbeat fiscal Q1 financial results posted by Nvidia (NVDA) and amid continued lack of solid progress in the Middle East peace talks.

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were 0.3% lower, S&P 500 futures were down 0.4%, and Nasdaq futures were 0.5% lower.

In addition to surpassing analysts' expectations for fiscal Q1 adjusted earnings and revenue, Nvidia raised its quarterly dividend and announced an additional $80 billion share repurchase authorization. However, the company's stock was largely flat in premarket activity.

President Donald Trump said the US was ready to resume attacks on Iran if its leadership did not agree to a peace deal, but that it could wait a few days. Iran's Supreme Leader has ordered the country's highly enriched uranium to not be sent abroad, which is one of the main US demands, according to a Reuters report citing two senior Iranian sources.

Traders kept an eye on the latest round of earnings, with Walmart (WMT) posting higher fiscal Q1 adjusted earnings and revenue.

Oil prices were higher, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude up 1.7% at $106.80 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude 2.4% higher at $100.62 per barrel.

US initial jobless claims fell to a level of 209,000 in the employment survey week ended May 16 from an upwardly revised 212,000 level in the previous week, compared with expectations for a smaller decrease to 210,000 in survey of analysts compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:30 am ET.

April housing starts fell by 2.8% from the previous month to a 1.465 million annual rate, compared with expectations compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:30 am ET for a 1.410 million rate after an increase to a 1.507 million pace in March.

The Philadelphia Federal Reserve's monthly manufacturing index fell to minus 0.4 in May after rising to 26.7 in April, compared with expectations for a smaller decrease to a reading of 17.8 in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.

The May S&P Global Composite Purchasing Managers' Index, due at 9:45 am ET, is seen coming in at 53.8.

Richmond Federal Reserve President Thomas Barkin is scheduled to speak on Thursday.

In other world markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 3.1% higher, Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 1% lower, and China's Shanghai Composite finished 2% lower. Meanwhile, the UK's FTSE 100 was down 0.3%, and Germany's DAX index was 0.5% lower in Europe's early afternoon session.

In equities, Shell (SHEL) stock was up 1.2% and BP (BP) shares rose 1% after the companies, along with Indonesia's PT Perusahaan Gas Negara, and PT PLN Energi Primer Indonesia, signed agreements with Japan's Inpex for liquified natural gas offtake from the Abadi LNG Project at the Masela Block in offshore Indonesia. Shares of IBM (IBM), GlobalFoundries (GFS), and D-Wave Quantum (QBTS) were up after the companies said they are included among the major quantum companies set to receive billions in proposed US government backing. IBM stock was up 5.8%, GlobalFoundries shares rose 13%, and D-Wave Quantum stock was 15% higher.

On the losing side, Intuit (INTU) stock was 16% lower after RBC and Northcoast Research cut their price targets for the stock. Palantir Technologies (PLTR) shares were down 1.2% following an Axios report about the company challenging Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency over its ability to bid for a contract to modernize the agency's data analytics system.

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Asia Markets

US Equity Indexes Jump Amid Sliding Treasury Yields, Crude Oil as Trump Says Iran Talks in Final Stages

US equity indexes jumped at the close on Wednesday as government bond yields sank amid a slide in crude oil futures after President Donald Trump talked up expectations for an Iran peace agreement.The Nasdaq Composite advanced 1.6% to 26,270.36, with the S&P 500 up 1.1% to 7,432.97 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average higher by 1.3% to 50,009.35 on Wednesday.Consumer discretionary and technology topped the sector charts. Energy was the worst performer.US equity indexes closed higher on Wednesday in anticipation of strong results from the tech bellwether and AI poster child, Nvidia (NVDA). The chipmaker reported after the bell stronger-than-expected fiscal Q1 adjusted earnings and revenue, beating market expectations. The chipmaker unveiled an additional $80 billion share repurchase authorization and raised its quarterly dividend.Meanwhile, Iran negotiations are in the final stages, Reuters cited President Donald Trump as saying on Wednesday. The US president reiterated his warning of further attacks unless Tehran agrees to a deal."We're in the final stages of Iran. We'll see what happens," Trump was cited as telling reporters. "Either have a deal, or we're going to do some things that are a little bit nasty, but hopefully that won't happen.""If aggression against Iran is repeated, the promised regional war will extend beyond the region this time," Reuters cited the Revolutionary Guards as saying in a statement.Brent crude futures slumped 5.7% to $104.91.US Treasury yields fell, with the 30-year down 6.6 basis points to 5.11%, retreating from its highest since 2007. The 10-year dropped 9.3 basis points to 4.58%, also declining from its strongest level in more than a year.In precious metals, gold futures rose 0.8% to $4,548.2, and silver futures climbed 1.5% to $76.27.A majority of FOMC participants appear to be leaning away from rate cuts for now and were open to the possibility of rate increases, minutes of the April 28-29 meeting released Wednesday showed."Several participants highlighted that it would likely be appropriate to lower the target range for the federal funds rate once there are clear indications that disinflation is firmly back on track or if solid signs emerge of greater weakness in the labor market," the minutes said."A majority of participants highlighted, however, that some policy firming would likely become appropriate if inflation were to continue to run persistently above 2%," according to the minutes.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$NVDA
Asia Markets

US Equity Indexes Rise as Investors Await Nvidia's Earnings While Iran Peace Talks Enter Final Stages

US equity indexes rose ahead of Nvidia's (NVDA) earnings and April minutes from the Federal Reserve's policy meeting, and as Iran's negotiations with a trio of Gulf nations entered the final stages.The Nasdaq Composite rose 1.1% to 26,165.1, with the S&P 500 up 0.8% to 7,412.9 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average higher by 1% to 49,854.6 in midday trading on Wednesday.Consumer discretionary and technology topped the sector charts. Energy was the worst performer.Nvidia's (NVDA) fiscal Q1 sales are expected to outperform market projections, with potential for "enhanced" cash returns likely to be among the key areas of focus, BofA Securities said in a note. The brokerage maintained its buy rating on the Nvidia stock, with a $320 price objective, citing its "dominance in the fastest growing tech market and its compelling valuation."Chip stocks steadied ahead of Nvidia's earnings, which investors view as a "crucial test of AI demand amid concerns about elevated Treasury yields," according to a D.A. Davidson note.Meanwhile, Iran negotiations are in the final stages, Reuters cited US President Donald Trump as saying on Wednesday. But Trump warned of further attacks unless Tehran agrees to a deal."We're in the final stages of Iran. We'll see what happens," Trump was cited as telling reporters. "Either have a deal, or we're going to do some things that are a little bit nasty, but hopefully that won't happen.""If aggression against Iran is repeated, the promised regional war will extend beyond the region this time," Reuters cited the Revolutionary Guards as saying in a statement.West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures slid 0.8% to $107.77, while Brent crude futures slumped 5.7% to $104.92.US Treasury yields fell, with the 30-year down 6.5 basis points to 5.12%, retreating from its highest since 2007. The 10-year dropped 8.7 basis points to 4.58%, also declining from its strongest level in more than a year.In precious metals, gold futures rose 0.6% to $4,536.8, and silver futures climbed 1.5% to $75.30.In US economic news, the Federal Reserve is scheduled to post minutes from its April policy meeting at 2 pm ET, in which policymakers had voted to keep the federal funds rate unchanged at 3.5% to 3.75%.However, Dallas Fed president Lorie Logan, Minneapolis Fed president Neel Kashkari, and Cleveland Fed president Beth Hammack were the three members of the Federal Open Market Committee who explicitly dissented against language that left the door open to a possible easing bias, according to a Scotiabank note. Boston Fed president Susan Collins later revealed that she was a non-voting supporter of the dissenters."That makes almost one-quarter (4) of the 17 FOMC members and one-quarter (3) of the voting FOMC members who officially opposed any hint at easing" at the last meeting, Derek Holt, head of capital markets economics at Scotiabank, said in an earlier note. "Will others be revealed? Watch the language that cites frequency of citation for an indication (one, a couple, a few, some, several, many, most, etc.)."

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$NVDA
Asia Markets

Exchange-Traded Funds Move Higher as US Equities Rise After Midday

Broad Market IndicatorsBroad-market exchange-traded funds IWM and IVV advanced. Actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) added 1.2%.US equity indexes rose ahead of Nvidia's (NVDA) quarterly earnings and minutes of the Federal Reserve's last policy meeting, while the Iran standoff continued.EnergyIShares US Energy ETF (IYE) fell 1.5% and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) dipped 1.8%.TechnologyThe State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) rose 1.6%; iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) added 1.4%, and iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) was up 1.4%.The State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor (XSD) gained 3.3%, and iShares Semiconductor (SOXX) was up 3.8%.FinancialThe State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) added 0.9%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) climbed 2.6%, and its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), declined 2.5%.CommoditiesCrude oil dropped 2.7%, and the United States Oil Fund (USO) lost 6.2%. Natural gas fell 2.6%, and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was down 3.3%.Gold on Comex rose 0.4% and the State Street SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) added 1.2%. Silver gained 1.2%, and iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was up 2.6%.ConsumerThe State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (XLP) shed 0.4%. The Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC) fell 0.3%, and iShares Dow Jones US Consumer Goods (IYK) was down 0.1%.The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR (XLY) rose 1.9%. VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) was up 0.7%, and the State Street SPDR S&P Retail (XRT) added 1.8%.HealthcareThe State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV) fell 0.4%, iShares US Healthcare (IYH) lost 0.3% and Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) was down 0.1%. IShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) climbed 1.8%.IndustrialThe State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR (XLI) rose 1.3%. Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) and iShares US Industrials (IYJ) were also higher.CryptocurrencyIn midday activity, bitcoin (BTC-USD) added 0.7%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, ProShares Bitcoin ETF (BITO) gained 0.8%, ProShares Ether ETF (EETH) was up 0.9%, and ProShares Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) was 0.1% lower.

Dow Jones^EEM^EXI^FAS^FAZ^GLD^IBB^IGM^IGV^IPK^IVV^IWMNasdaq Composite^IYE^IYH^IYJ^IYK^IYW^PMR^QQQ^RTH^SOXXS&P 500^SPY^UNG^USO^VDC^VHT^VIS^XLE^XLF^XLI^XLK^XLP^XLV^XRT^XSD$BETH$BITO$EETH