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Meta Platforms, Inc.

Meta Platforms, Inc.

$META
NASDAQTechnology

302 stories mentioning Meta Platforms, Inc.Updated 5h ago

Meta is adding AI-powered search ('AI Mode') and new creative editing tools to Facebook, drawing on public posts across its apps.

Update: Nasdaq Composite Snaps 6-Day Slump as Microsoft Soars
US Markets

Update: Nasdaq Composite Snaps 6-Day Slump as Microsoft Soars

(Updates with market moves at the end of the day.)The Nasdaq Composite surged Thursday, rebounding after a six-day losing streak, as Microsoft's (MSFT) shares moved 16% higher in a post-earning rally.The technology-heavy Nasdaq gained 2.8% to close at 25,122.18, its biggest single-day percentage gain since June 15. The S&P 500 rose 1.7% to 7,437.63, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 1.2% to 52,208.06. Among sectors, tech paced the gainers with a 5.2% advance, while communication services led the laggards.Microsoft soared almost 16%, the top gainer on the Dow. Its quarterly results released late Wednesday topped estimates driven by a revenue surge in cloud computing platform Azure."This year, Azure revenue surpassed $100 billion for the first time, and Microsoft 365 Copilot reached over 30 million paid seats, reflecting the confidence customers are placing in us to power their (artificial intelligence) transformation," Chief Executive Satya Nadella said in a statement on Wednesday.Sandisk (SNDK) surged 26%, the top performer on the S&P 500, while other chip-related stocks also logged sharp gains, such as Micron Technology (MU), Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), and Intel (INTC).Meta Platforms' (META) shares slumped 8% as the technology giant provided a soft third-quarter revenue outlook following an unexpected year-over-year decline in quarterly earnings. It raised the lower end of its capital expenditure guidance."Microsoft shows clearer AI revenue through Azure and Copilot, while Meta still depends mainly on advertising," Saxo Bank said in a report.Amazon.com (AMZN) was the Dow's third-biggest gainer, up 3.9%. The e-commerce giant and Apple (AAPL) released their latest quarterly results after the closing bell on Thursday.Treasury yields were mixed, with the 10-year rate up 5.1 basis points at 4.67%, while the two-year rate was little changed at 4.25%.In economic news, the US personal consumption expenditure price index fell 0.1% month over month in June, marking the first decline since April 2020, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported Thursday. That helped cut the year-over-year rate to 3.7% from 4.1%.Separate data showed US economic growth slowed more than expected in the second quarter, though consumer spending seemed to shrug off intensifying price measures.West Texas Intermediate crude oil was down 0.9% at $83.71 a barrel in Thursday late-afternoon trade, while Brent fell 1.8% to $89.15. Both benchmarks are on track for hefty gains this month, following two consecutive monthly declines.The US carried out fresh strikes against Iran on Wednesday in response to Tehran's attempted missile attacks on US forces in the Middle East a day earlier, the US Central Command said."Elevated energy prices are also clouding the inflation outlook for the (Federal Reserve), keeping upside inflation risks alive, with core PCE inflation having run above the Fed's 2% target for more than five years," TD Economics said. "While the Fed remained on the sidelines this week, financial markets continue to price a rate hike by year-end."The Federal Open Market Committee held the policy rate steady on Wednesday, in a divided decision that included three officials calling for a hike.Spot gold rose 1.1% to $4,113.71 per troy ounce, while silver advanced 2.3% to $59.43 per ounce.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$AAPL$AMD$AMZN$INTC$META$MSFT$MU$SNDK
Sectors

Sector Update: Tech Stocks Sharply Higher Late Afternoon

Tech stocks were sharply higher late Thursday afternoon, with the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) rising 5.6% and the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) climbing up 7.3%.The Philadelphia Semiconductor index popped 8.3%.In corporate news, Microsoft (MSFT) shares jumped past 16% after the company reported higher-than-expected fiscal Q4 results in the previous day.ASE Technology (ASX) shares climbed 10% after the company's Q2 earnings and revenue exceeded expectations.Meta Platforms (META) shares fell nearly 9% after it provided a soft Q3 revenue outlook following an unexpected year-over-year decline in quarterly earnings. Meta also raised the lower end of its capital expenditure guidance.A consortium of banks led by Morgan Stanley (MS) is in talks to lend $15 billion to a data-center developer to build a campus and power plant for Anthropic in Texas, The Wall Street Journal reported. Alphabet's (GOOGL) Google would provide financial guarantees and chips for the project. Alphabet shares were down 0.7%.

$ASX$GOOGL$META$MSFT
Wire

Top Midday Decliners

Coastal Financial (CCB) swung to a Q2 loss while revenue increased from a year ago, it said Thursday.Shares of the financial services firm slumped 42% as intraday trading volume jumped to over 1.08 million from a daily average of about 129,000.Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) lowered its full-year 2026 net product revenue guidance, taking the shine off higher Q2 non-GAAP earnings and revenue reported Thursday.Shares of the pharma company sank nearly 29%, with intraday trading volume rising to over 6.1 million from a daily average of roughly 1.28 million.Meta Platforms (META) set out a soft Q3 revenue outlook following an unexpected year-over-year decline in quarterly earnings released overnight.Meta also raised the lower end of its capital expenditure guidance.Shares of the Facebook owner dropped 9% as intraday trading volume climbed to over 29.3 million from the stock's daily average of about 17.7 million.Price: $532.29, Change: $-53.33, Percent Change: -9.11%

$ALNY$CCB$META
Wire

Meta's Business AI, Ad Tools May Add New Revenue Streams, UBS Says

Meta Platforms (META) may benefit from new revenue streams from its Business Agents, further AI-driven ad improvements and potential sales of excess computing capacity, while higher spending remains a risk to earnings, UBS Securities said Thursday in a report.Business Agents, the AI chatbots that help automate customer messaging and ad interactions, reached 1 million accounts within a month of launch, UBS said. Meta plans to begin charging for the service in H2, and revenue may ramp up faster than Meta's typical two-year timeline because the company already has a large base of accounts, expanding potential for 2027 or 2028 estimates, the report said.Meta may also generate revenue by selling unused compute capacity or access to its AI models, while continued use of AI in advertising might improve recommendations and help businesses create ads, UBS said.Higher operating and capital spending may pressure future earnings, especially if Meta continues to invest heavily in 2027 and 2028 or takes on more debt, the report said.UBS lowered its price target on Meta stock to $715 from $766 and reiterated its buy rating.Price: $532.78, Change: $-52.83, Percent Change: -9.02%

$META
Update: Equities Rise Intraday as Microsoft's Post-Earnings Rally Lifts Tech Sector
US Markets

Update: Equities Rise Intraday as Microsoft's Post-Earnings Rally Lifts Tech Sector

(Updates with latest market prices and developments.)US benchmark equity indexes were higher intraday, supported by the technology's sector's advance as Microsoft (MSFT) shares surged, while traders parsed fresh inflation data.The Nasdaq Composite was up 2.6% at 25,074.4 after midday Thursday, while the S&P 500 rose 1.5% to 7,424.6. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 1.1% to 52,145.7. Among sectors, tech saw the steepest rise with a gain of 5.1%, while communication services led the laggards.Microsoft was up nearly 17%, the top gainer on the Dow and among the best performers on the S&P 500. Its quarterly results released late Wednesday topped estimates driven by a revenue surge in cloud computing platform Azure.Chip-related stocks were sharply higher, with Sandisk (SNDK) surging 25%, the top performer on the Dow. Micron Technology (MU), Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), and Intel (INTC), also advanced.Amazon.com (AMZN) followed Microsoft on the Dow, up 4.9%. The e-commerce giant and Apple (AAPL) are scheduled to release their latest quarterly results after markets close Thursday.Meta Platforms' (META) shares slumped 9.2% intraday as the technology giant provided a soft third-quarter revenue outlook following an unexpected year-over-year decline in quarterly earnings. It raised the lower end of its capital expenditure guidance."Microsoft shows clearer (artificial intelligence) revenue through Azure and Copilot, while Meta still depends mainly on advertising," Saxo Bank said in a report.In economic news, the US personal consumption expenditure price index fell 0.1% month over month in June, marking the first decline since April 2020, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported Thursday. That helped cut the year-over-year rate to 3.7% from 4.1%."While lower gasoline prices provided a boost to households' purchasing power in June, that support may prove temporary as energy prices have moved higher amid renewed US-Iran tensions," TD Economics said in a report.West Texas Intermediate crude oil was down 0.6% at $83.96 a barrel intraday, while Brent fell 1.2% to $89.67. Both benchmarks are on track for hefty gains this month, following two consecutive monthly declines.The US carried out fresh strikes against Iran on Wednesday in response to Tehran's attempted missile attacks on US forces in the Middle East a day earlier, the US Central Command said."Elevated energy prices are also clouding the inflation outlook for the (Federal Reserve), keeping upside inflation risks alive, with core PCE inflation having run above the Fed's 2% target for more than five years," TD Economics said. "While the Fed remained on the sidelines this week, financial markets continue to price a rate hike by year-end."The Federal Open Market Committee held the policy rate steady on Wednesday, in a divided decision that included three officials calling for a hike.Treasury yields were mixed intraday, with the 10-year rate up 3.9 basis points at 4.66%, while the two-year rate fell 1.3 basis points to 4.22%.In other economic news, US real gross domestic product increased at a 1.5% annualized rate in the quarter ended June, according to an advance government estimate released Thursday. The consensus was for 2% growth in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.Spot gold rose 0.8% to $4,101.62 per troy ounce, while silver advanced 1.5% to $58.94 per ounce.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$AAPL$AMD$AMZN$INTC$META$MSFT$MU$SNDK
Asia Markets

Update: US Equity Indexes Surge as Rebound in Chipmakers Boosts Technology

(Updates with index/price moves, macroeconomic data, and company/geopolitical news from the first paragraph.)US equity indexes rose amid a bounce in semiconductors as investors anchored to Microsoft's (MSFT) quarterly results showing AI monetization and a closely watched inflation gauge fell in June.The Nasdaq Composite jumped 2.6% to 25,069.1, the S&P 500 was up 1.5% to 7,424.5, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 1.1% to 52,152.7 after midday Thursday. Technology was the standout gainer, up 5%, while communication services led the decliners.The Microsoft intelligent cloud segment's revenue increased 32% to $39.31 billion, buoyed by 43% growth in Azure and other cloud services, according to the company. Analysts expected a 40% year-over-year advance in Azure sales."This year, Azure revenue surpassed $100 billion for the first time, and Microsoft 365 Copilot reached over 30 million paid seats, reflecting the confidence customers are placing in us to power their (artificial intelligence) transformation," Chief Executive Satya Nadella said in a statement. Shares of Microsoft soared 17%, one of the top gainers on the S&P 500, Nasdaq, and the Dow.Arm (ARM) jumped 6.2% after the semiconductor group reported a fiscal Q1 beat for adjusted earnings and revenue.Meta Platforms (META) slumped 9%, one of the worst performers on the Nasdaq. The firm provided a soft Q3 revenue outlook following an unexpected decline in quarterly earnings, while it raised the lower end of its capital expenditure guidance.VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH), with net assets of $77.2 billion, soared 6.8%, as chipmakers are major beneficiaries of AI-related spend. Among companies with a market capitalization of more than $200 billion, seven of the top 10 gainers after midday Thursday were from the semiconductors and semiconductor equipment and materials industries, according to data compiled by Finviz.In economic news, the personal consumption expenditures, or PCE, price index fell 0.1% in June, as expected, cutting the year-over-year rate to 3.7% from 4.1%. The price index rose by 0.5% in May. The core PCE price index climbed 0.1% in June, below the 0.2% gain expected and following a 0.3% growth in May. The year-over-year rate dropped to 3.3% from 3.4%, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.An advance BEA reading of gross domestic product showed 1.5% growth in Q2, after a 2.1% increase in Q1 and missing the 2.0% gain forecast in a Bloomberg-compiled survey.US initial jobless claims rose sequentially to 197,000 in the week ended July 25 from an upwardly revised 188,000, versus expectations for an increase to 200,000 in a Bloomberg-compiled poll. The four-week moving average, however, fell 5,000 to 202,750, the US Labor Department reported.US Treasury yields traded mixed, with the 10-year up 3.7 basis points to 4.66%. The two-year fell 1.5 basis points to 4.22%.In precious metal markets, gold futures jumped 1.8% to $4,107.5, and silver futures advanced 1.5% to $58.94.The front-month US West Texas Intermediate was down 0.7% at $83.84 a barrel, while global benchmark North Sea Brent declined 1.5% to $89.38 a barrel.Late Wednesday, the US Central Command forces completed a "heavy wave" of strikes against Iran in response to Tuesday's attempted missile attacks on US forces, according to a CENTCOM statement.Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targeted US bases in Kuwait and Jordan following Washington's strikes on Iran, Al Jazeera, a Middle East broadcaster, reported, citing the IRGC.A drone strike on gas vessels in Egypt's Mediterranean port of Damietta on Wednesday raised the prospect of threats to navigation through the Suez Canal, one of the last remaining export routes for Saudi oil, Reuters reported.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$ARM$META$MSFT$SMH
Sectors

Sector Update: Tech Stocks Sharply Higher Thursday Afternoon

Tech stocks were sharply higher Thursday afternoon, with the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) rising 5% and the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) climbing up 6.9%.The Philadelphia Semiconductor index popped 7.8%.In corporate news, Microsoft (MSFT) shares jumped past 16% after the company reported higher-than-expected fiscal Q4 results in the previous day.Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) is developing advanced AI chip-packaging technology akin to what Intel (INTC) already offers, as it looks to better compete with a distant rival, The Information reported. Taiwan Semiconductor shares climbed 8%, and Intel gained 13%.Meta Platforms (META) shares fell 9% after it provided a soft Q3 revenue outlook following an unexpected year-over-year decline in quarterly earnings. Meta also raised the lower end of its capital expenditure guidance.

$INTC$META$MSFT$TSM
Wire

CoreWeave Q2 Revenue Expected at 'High End' of Guidance, Oppenheimer Says

CoreWeave (CRWV) is expected to report Q2 revenue at the "high end" of its $2.45 billion to $2.60 billion guidance range and maintain its 2026 targets, Oppenheimer said in a report Thursday.The company is scheduled to report its Q2 results on Aug. 11.The firm said investor concerns about capacity delays and industry overbuild are "overblown" because industry demand remains about four times available supply, the report said. The firm noted that the impact of competition from Meta Platforms (META) as "minimal."The firm said some Q3 capacity additions may be delayed by three to five months because of labor and operator financing constraints, shifting more "capacity expansion" into Q4. However, the firm still expects CoreWeave to exceed 1.7 gigawatts of "active power" by year-end, according to the report.The firm also noted "GPU infrastructure" prices have increased about 30% across the industry, potentially creating "upside" for CoreWeave over time, although the company's long-term contracts could delay the benefit.Oppenheimer reiterated an outperform rating on CoreWeave with a price target of $150.Price: $74.13, Change: $+13.31, Percent Change: +21.88%

$CRWV$META
Wire

Meta Platforms Stock Selloff Reflects Q3 Guidance, No Clarity on AI Monetization, Oppenheimer Says

Meta Platforms (META) stock selloff is due to a lower-than-expected Q3 revenue guide and no additional clarity on artificial intelligence monetization despite better Q2 revenue and operating income, Oppenheimer said in a research report emailed Thursday.For the full-year 2026 and 2027, the brokerage said it now expects EPS of $30.47 and $31.69, respectively.The brokerage said that the Street EPS for fiscal 2027 did not price in higher compute costs without a neocloud deal, limiting growth for the near future.Oppenheimer said it reiterated its perform rating on the stock.Price: $531.22, Change: $-54.39, Percent Change: -9.29%

$META
Wire

Meta's Rising Spending Deepens Investor Questions on Returns, Wedbush Says

Meta Platforms (META) signaled heavy multiyear capital spending to build compute capacity and train models, stoking the investor debate over returns on investments, Wedbush Securities said Thursday in a report.Wedbush raised its estimates for capital spending to $145 billion from $138 billion in 2026, to $210 billion from $173 billion in 2027, and to $245 billion from $202 billion in 2028.Meta has discussed possible long-term ways to generate returns from its infrastructure, including eventually selling compute capacity, though management does not expect to have excess compute in 2026 or 2027, the report said.Meta also pointed to emerging products such as Meta One, licensing Muse Spark, and Business AI tools as longer-term opportunities to generate returns beyond core advertising, the report said. Wedbush called these efforts "nascent" and wants more evidence that they can drive revenue growth.Wedbush lowered its price target on Meta stock to $595 from $671 and maintained its neutral rating.Price: $536.05, Change: $-49.56, Percent Change: -8.46%

$META
Meta Issues Weak Revenue Guidance as Quarterly Earnings Unexpectedly Decline; Raises Capex Outlook
US Markets

Meta Issues Weak Revenue Guidance as Quarterly Earnings Unexpectedly Decline; Raises Capex Outlook

Meta Platforms' (META) shares fell early Thursday as the technology giant provided a soft third-quarter revenue outlook following an unexpected year-over-year decline in quarterly earnings, while it raised the lower end of its capital expenditure guidance.For the third quarter, Meta expects revenue of $61 billion to $64 billion, assuming foreign exchange will be a roughly 1% headwind to year-over-year revenue growth. The midpoint of the guidance range is below the Street's consensus estimate of $63.18 billion.The Facebook parent now anticipates capital expenditures to be in a range of $130 billion to $145 billion for 2026, lifting the $125 billion bottom end previously expected.Meta expects its full-year 2026 expense between $165 billion and $169 billion, indicating a higher bottom end versus the previous estimate of $162 billion. The lower end of the outlook was increased to incorporate $2.4 billion in legal charges recognized in the second quarter, Chief Financial Officer Susan Li said in a statement."The opportunity in front of us is massive," Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said during an analyst call, according to a FactSet transcript. "We are now at a point where our investments in AI are accelerating every major part of our core business. As AI usage in our products and businesses continues to ramp, we continue to invest aggressively in infrastructure to meet the demand."Meta shares fell 10% in the most recent premarket activity.While Meta only modestly raised its 2026 capital expenditure guidance, the update was enough to keep investors focused on the returns from the company's AI investments, Wedbush Securities said in a note.Meta is likely to continue ramping up capital spending to build out its AI initiatives, resulting in a longer timeline for returns on those investments, Wedbush analyst Ygal Arounian said."While the ad business is healthy, it is also decelerating," Arounian wrote. "We see risk-reward as balanced and stay on the sidelines."Ahead of Meta's earnings release, Deutsche Bank, Wedbush Securities and BofA Securities had highlighted the strength of Meta's advertising business and signaled that the company could raise its capital expenditure outlook.For the second quarter, the company's net income decreased to $6.18 a share from $7.14 the year before, while the Street was expecting the bottom line to increase to $7.19. Revenue rose 28% to $60.80 billion, ahead of the Street's view for $60.22 billion.Advertising revenue in the second quarter jumped to $59.36 billion from $46.56 billion last year. Average price per ad increased 12% amid ad performance improvements and better macro conditions versus the prior-year period, among other factors, Li said during the call, according to a FactSet transcript.Daily active users for Meta's family of apps, including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, increased 3% on a yearly basis to 3.6 billion on average for June.Capital expenditures stood at $31.08 billion for the second quarter. Free cash flow for the three months ended June 30 plunged to $784 million from $8.55 billion a year ago.Microsoft (MSFT) on Wednesday reported fiscal fourth-quarter results that topped Wall Street's expectations, driven by a revenue surge in cloud computing platform Azure. The company expects fiscal 2027 capital expenditures to increase year over year, with first-quarter capex projected to exceed $50 billion.

$META
Sectors

Sector Update: Tech Stocks Rise Premarket Thursday

Technology stocks were rising premarket Thursday, with the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK) 3.1% higher and the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) up 3%.Microsoft (MSFT) shares were up more than 9% after the company reported higher fiscal Q4 adjusted earnings and revenue.Meta Platforms (META) stock was down more than 9% after the company posted a decline in Q2 earnings, missing analysts' expectations.Check Point Software Technologies (CHKP) shares were down more than 11% after the company reported Q2 revenue below analysts' expectations.

$CHKP$META$MSFT$XLK$XSD
Asia Markets

Update: US Equity Futures Rise Pre-Bell Amid Latest Big Tech Earnings, Fed Rate Decision

(Updates with economic data, recent oil price movement, world markets' overview and corporate stock movements.)US equity futures were higher pre-bell Thursday as traders took note of the Federal Reserve's decision to leave interest rates unchanged, as well as the latest round of earnings from major tech players Microsoft (MSFT) and Meta Platforms (META).Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were 0.4% higher, S&P 500 futures were up 0.6%, and Nasdaq futures were 1.5% higher.The Fed held its policy rate steady in a divided decision, as three officials called for policy tightening. The Federal Open Market Committee maintained the target range for the federal funds rate at 3.50% to 3.75%, marking its fifth consecutive pause. The committee reiterated its pledge to "deliver price stability" as inflation remained above the 2% target amid supply shocks.Late Wednesday, Microsoft reported higher fiscal Q4 adjusted earnings and revenue, while Meta posted a decline in earnings and higher revenue for Q2.Apple (AAPL) is expected to report its fiscal Q3 earnings after the market closes. Analysts polled by FactSet expect earnings of $1.89 per share on revenue of $109.04 billion.Oil prices were lower, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude down 1.1% at $87.12 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude 0.8% lower at $83.80 per barrel.The June core personal consumption expenditures price index, the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, released at 8:30 am ET, slowed to 0.1% from a pace of 0.3% in the prior month and the expected 0.2% increase in estimates compiled by Bloomberg.Initial jobless claims rose to 197,000 in the week ended July 25 from an upwardly revised 188,000 level in the previous week, compared with expectations for an increase to 200,000. Q2 GDP growth was recorded at a 1.5% annual rate, compared with expectations for 2%.In other world markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 0.7% higher, Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 0.2% higher, and China's Shanghai Composite finished 0.6% lower. Meanwhile, the UK's FTSE 100 was up 0.4%, and Germany's DAX index was 0.3% higher in Europe's early afternoon session.In equities, Microsoft shares rose 9% after the company's fiscal Q4 results topped expectations, driven by a revenue surge in cloud computing platform Azure. Lam Research (LRCX) stock was up 13% after the company posted better-than-expected fiscal Q4 adjusted earnings and revenue, as well as issued Q1 guidance that surpassed analysts' consensus. Arm (ARM) shares were 11% higher after the company reported a fiscal Q1 beat for adjusted earnings and revenue. Starbucks (SBUX) stock was up 4.4% after the company's fiscal Q3 adjusted earnings and revenue surpassed expectations and its fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS outlook was boosted.On the losing side, Meta stock was down nearly 10% after the company's Q2 earnings fell short of consensus estimates. Qualcomm (QCOM) shares fell 3.1% after the company reported lower fiscal Q3 adjusted earnings and revenue.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$AAPL$ARM$LRCX$META$MSFT$QCOM$SBUX
Japan

US Equity Futures Rise Pre-Bell Amid Latest Big Tech Earnings, Fed Rate Decision

US equity futures were higher pre-bell Thursday as traders took note of the Federal Reserve's decision to leave interest rates unchanged, as well as the latest round of earnings from major tech players Microsoft (MSFT) and Meta Platforms (META).Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were 0.4% higher, S&P 500 futures were up 0.6%, and Nasdaq futures were 1.4% higher.The Fed held its policy rate steady in a divided decision, as three officials called for policy tightening. The Federal Open Market Committee maintained the target range for the federal funds rate at 3.50% to 3.75%, marking its fifth consecutive pause. The committee reiterated its pledge to "deliver price stability" as inflation remained above the 2% target amid supply shocks.Late Wednesday, Microsoft reported higher fiscal Q4 adjusted earnings and revenue, while Meta posted a decline in earnings and higher revenue for Q2.Apple (AAPL) is expected to report its fiscal Q3 earnings after the market closes. Analysts polled by FactSet expect earnings of $1.89 per share on revenue of $109.04 billion.Oil prices were lower, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude down 1.2% at $87.06 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude 1.2% lower at $83.41 per barrel.The June core personal consumption expenditures price index, the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, scheduled for release at 8:30 am ET, is expected to increase 0.2%, compared with the prior month's gain of 0.3%, according to estimates compiled by Bloomberg.Initial jobless claims are projected to have increased to 200,000 in the week ended July 25 from 187,000 in the previous week. The advance estimate for Q2 GDP is seen coming in at 2.0%, down from 2.1% in the previous quarter.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$AAPL$META$MSFT
Stock Futures Rise as Investors Await Key Inflation Report Following Fed Hold
US Markets

Stock Futures Rise as Investors Await Key Inflation Report Following Fed Hold

US stock futures pointed to a higher open on Thursday as investors awaited a key inflation report following the Federal Reserve's latest interest rate decision.The Nasdaq 100 was tracking 1% higher before the opening bell. S&P 500 futures rose 0.5%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average indicated a 0.3% gain.The indexes closed the previous session in the red after the Fed left interest rates unchanged in a divided decision, with three regional presidents calling for policy tightening.The personal income and outlays report for June is scheduled to be released at 8:30 am ET. The report includes the personal consumption expenditures price index, the Fed's preferred inflation metric, as well as data on consumer spending.While the market expects about two interest rate hikes over the coming 12 months, Jefferies said the next policy move will likely be a rate cut."We expect that labor market conditions will continue to gradually soften throughout the remainder of the year, and we are optimistic that inflation pressure is going to continue to soften as the energy surge from Iran reverses," Jefferies Chief US Economist Thomas Simons said in a note e-mailed to.The outlook is uncertain, so "we could certainly be wrong about the persistence of high inflation," Simons added.The Fed's next meeting is scheduled for Sept. 15-16.Treasury yields were up in premarket action, with the two-year rate increasing 2.6 basis points to 4.26% and the 10-year rate adding 7 basis points to 4.62%.Thursday's economic calendar also has the advance estimate for second-quarter gross domestic product, along with the weekly jobless claims bulletin.West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell 0.9% to $83.74 a barrel, while Brent declined 0.5% to $90.25.The US carried out fresh strikes against Iran on Wednesday in response to Tehran's attempted missile attacks on US forces in the Middle East a day earlier, the US Central Command said.Earlier in the week, Saudi Arabia and the US struck Iran-backed militias in Iraq.Meta Platforms (META) shares fell 9% before the bell as the company's second-quarter earnings unexpectedly fell year over year late Wednesday. The social media giant's third-quarter revenue guidance also missed Wall Street's expectations at the midpoint.Microsoft (MSFT) surged 9% after its quarterly results topped estimates driven by a revenue surge in cloud computing platform Azure.Apple (AAPL) and Amazon (AMZN) are scheduled to release their latest financial results after the bell Thursday. Mastercard (MA), Shell (SHEL), Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) and Altria (MO) were among the companies scheduled to release results before markets open.Gold rose about 1% to $4,139 per troy ounce.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$AAPL$AMZN$BMY$MA$META$MO$MSFT$SHEL
Research

President Capital Downgrades Meta Platforms to Neutral From Buy, Adjusts PT to $660 From $827

Meta Platforms (META) has an average rating of buy and mean price target of $793.89, according to analysts polled by FactSet.(covers equity, commodity and economic research from major banks and research firms in North America, Asia and Europe. Research providers may contact us here: https://finwires.com/en/contact)

$META
Wire

Meta Platforms Q2 Earnings Fall, Revenue Rises; Issues Q3 Guidance

Meta Platforms (META) reported Q2 earnings late Wednesday of $6.18 per diluted share, down from $7.14 a year earlier.Analysts polled by FactSet expected $7.19.Revenue for the quarter ended June 30 was $60.80 billion, up from $47.52 billion a year earlier.Analysts expected $60.22 billion.Meta said it expects Q3 revenue to be in the range of $61 billion to $64 billion. Analysts expect $63.14 billion.

$META
Japan

Update: US Equity Indexes Slide as Fed on Pause for Fifth Meeting; Investors Await Big Tech Results Amid Mounting Middle East Tensions

(Updates with index/price moves and Federal Reserve/geopolitical news from the first paragraph.)US equity indexes sank after the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged and as Iran's surprise missile attack on regional neighbors escalated war tensions ahead of Big Tech quarterly results post-bell.The Dow Jones Industrial Average sank 2.2% to 51,610.9, with the Nasdaq Composite down 1.2% to 24,577.4 and the S&P 500 lower by 1.2% to 7,339.1 ahead of Wednesday's close. All sectors except energy, communication services, and consumer staples declined. Industrials, financials, and utilities led the steepest decliners.Microsoft (MSFT), Meta Platforms (META), Lam Research (LRCX), Arm (ARM), and Qualcomm (QCOM) will report earnings after the bell on Wednesday, and investors will focus on what these companies will say about capital expenditures related to artificial intelligence and the state of free cash flows.The Fed held its policy rate steady in a divided decision, as three officials called for policy tightening. The Federal Open Market Committee maintained the target range for the federal funds rate at 3.50% to 3.75%, marking its fifth consecutive pause. Ahead of the decision, UBS Securities projected three dissenting votes as a base case. The committee reiterated its pledge to "deliver price stability" as inflation remained above the 2% target amid supply shocks.President Donald Trump said Iran will be hit hard, according to Fox News, after the US Central Command joined Saudi Arabian Armed Forces to conduct strikes in Iraq against Iran-aligned terrorists that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps directed to attack US forces and Saudi energy infrastructure.The front-month US West Texas Intermediate jumped 6.8% to $84.63 a barrel, and global benchmark North Sea Brent surged 7.6% to $90.45 a barrel.US Treasury yields were mixed, with the 10-year up 5.3 basis points to 4.66% while the two-year dropped 4.6 basis points to 4.23%.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$ARM$LRCX$META$MSFT$QCOM$SMH
Wire

Update: FTC Suing Hims & Hers for Allegedly Sharing User Data With Meta, Snap

(Updates with Hims' official statement in the third paragraph.)Hims & Hers Health (HIMS) is being sued by the US Federal Trade Commission, the State of California, and the Utah Division of Consumer Protection, for allegedly sharing users' data with Meta Platforms (META), Snap (SNAP) and other online advertising companies, court documents show.The suit, filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, also alleges Hims charged consumers unwanted prescription medication subscriptions without their consent, and enrolls consumers in subscription plans "almost immediately after receiving consumers' medical intake forms.""This lawsuit disregards substantial evidence we provided the FTC during its nearly three-year investigation, ignores established state laws and industry standards in telehealth, and contorts the law to try to manufacture claims," Hims said on X. "This is not enforcement grounded in consumer protection; it is an effort to generate headlines at our expense. We are confident in our position and will vigorously defend ourselves against these baseless claims."Hims & Hers shares were down over 11% in Wednesday trading.Price: $25.68, Change: $-3.65, Percent Change: -12.43%

$HIMS$META$SNAP
Equities Lower Intraday Ahead of Fed Decision, Major Tech Earnings
US Markets

Equities Lower Intraday Ahead of Fed Decision, Major Tech Earnings

US benchmark equity indexes fell intraday as traders awaited the Federal Reserve's policy decision and after-hours results from Microsoft (MSFT) and Meta Platforms (META).The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 1.5% at 51,977.6 after midday Wednesday. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.7% each, to 7,378.4 and 24,698.9, respectively. Most sectors were in the red, with industrials posting the biggest drop.The Federal Open Market Committee will announce its latest decision on interest rates at 2 pm ET. The probability of the central bank leaving its benchmark lending rate unchanged was at about 69% on Wednesday, with the remaining odds in favor of a quarter-percentage-point increase, according to the CME FedWatch tool.Fed Chair Kevin Warsh is scheduled to hold a press conference at 2:30 pm."One way or another -- including, perhaps, through dissent - the Fed's emerging tightening bias will find its way into the market today or in the next few days," Macquarie said in a report Wednesday. "That bias may not be clear in the text of today's Statement, but Warsh's presser and the various speeches and appearances by Fed officials in the next few days are likely to solidify a tightening bias that was already evident -- even the FOMC's "doves" -- prior to the blackout period."Microsoft and Meta, among others, report their financials after market close on Wednesday.For Microsoft, analysts are looking for about 15% year-over-year revenue growth in the fiscal fourth quarter, according to the FactSet-polled consensus.Meta is expected to report strong second-quarter results as improvements in advertising performance continue to drive spending by advertisers, Deutsche Bank said in a note Friday.West Texas Intermediate crude oil increased 6.8% to $84.63 a barrel intraday, while Brent gained 7.6% to $90.48.President Donald Trump reportedly told Fox News that the US will hit Iran hard after its Revolutionary Guard launched ballistic missiles at US forces.Treasury yields were higher intraday, with the two-year rate up 5.5 basis points at 4.33% and the 10-year rate rising 4.3 basis points to 4.65%.Elsewhere in the corporate sector, Procter & Gamble (PG) fell 2.7% and was among the worst performers on the Dow. The consumer goods giant reported weaker-than-expected fiscal fourth-quarter sales and said higher costs could weigh on its fiscal 2027 earnings.Tech stocks were among notable gainers intraday, with Salesforce (CRM) up 3.9%, the top performer on the Dow. Cognizant Technology (CTSH) jumped 11%, the second-best performer on the S&P 500. Workday (WDAY) and Intuit (INTU) also logged gains.Gold rose 0.2% to $4,106.20 per troy ounce, while silver gained 1% to $58.11 per ounce.Price: $395.74, Change: $+2.39, Percent Change: +0.61%

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