Microsoft Steadies US Stock Index Futures Amid AI Concerns
US stock index futures steadied on Thursday after a sharp selloff driven by uncertainty around the Federal Reserve's policy outlook. Microsoft's forecast-beating results soothed investor concerns about massive AI spending by companies.
The tech giant rose nearly 9% in premarket trading after beating expectations for current-quarter sales and cloud growth, while giving a capital expenditure outlook below Wall Street estimates. The company also said it expects to keep generating cash through its just-started fiscal 2027.
Investors have been spooked by rising AI costs at big technology firms even as they report strong earnings. Negative cash-flow reports from Alphabet and Tesla last week sparked a bout of selling in AI-linked stocks, with chip stocks also coming under pressure as investors question high valuations. The tech-heavy Nasdaq dropped 10% from its early June peak on Wednesday.
Meta Platforms dropped 9.2% after the social media giant reported a 91% drop in second-quarter free cash flow, underscoring the financial strain of its costly AI buildout.