Stock Futures Rise Sharply After Blockbuster Nvidia Results; Tech Shares Surge; Jobs Report on Tap; Walmart Tops Estimates

Stock futures pointed sharply higher Thursday, a day after AI darling Nvidia (NVDA) reported quarterly results above analysts’ lofty expectations. 

Futures associated with the tech-heavy Nasdaq, benchmark S&P 500, and blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average were up a respective 1.4%, 1%, and 0.4%. Yesterday, the Dow and S&P 500 snapped four-session skids ahead of Nvidia’s earnings, while the Nasdaq ended higher for the first time this week.

After the bell Wednesday, Nvidia’s fiscal 2026 third-quarter results blew past Wall Street expectations and the company also issued rosy revenue guidance for the current quarter, with CEO Jensen Huang saying sales of its AI Blackwell platform are “off the charts.”

Nvidia shares surged in extended trading and recently were up nearly 5%. Shares of fellow AI chipmakers rose in their wake, including those of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Broadcom (AVGO), and Intel (INTC), which were up a respective 4%, 3%, and 1.5% before the bell.

Nvidia’s “Magnificent Seven” brethren of large-cap technology companies—in order of market capitalization, Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), Alphabet (GOOG; GOOGL), Amazon (AMZN), Meta Platforms (META), and Tesla (TSLA)—all pointed higher as well.  

Walmart (WMT) shares slipped 2% even though it reported better-than-expected third-quarter profit and revenue, and raised its fiscal 2026 outlook. The world’s largest retailer also announced it was switching its stock listing to the Nasdaq from the New York Stock Exchange.

Market participants also are awaiting Thursday’s September jobs report, which was delayed because of the 43-day U.S. government shutdown. The report was originally scheduled for release on Oct. 3, two days after the shutdown began. The Bureau of Labor Statistics also announced Wednesday that full October jobs data will not be released.

Bitcoin, which hit its lowest level since April 22 yesterday, was trading around $91,900, up from $89,400 overnight.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note was little changed from Wednesday’s close at around 4.14%. The U.S. dollar index, which tracks the performance of the dollar against a basket of foreign currencies, ticked higher to 100.28.

WTI crude futures, the U.S. oil benchmark, advanced 1% to about $60 per barrel. Gold futures pulled back 0.4% to $4,065 per ounce.