U.S. equity futures showed a split tone Thursday, with technology shares under pressure while blue-chip contracts edged higher. The move followed a broad market decline after inflation figures strengthened expectations for a more restrictive Federal Reserve stance.
At 4:23 p.m. (Bangkok Time), contracts tied to the S&P 500 declined 0.22%, and Nasdaq-100 futures lost 0.92%. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures rose 0.36%, equal to a gain of 187 points.
The latest moves came after a difficult cash-market session for growth stocks. The Nasdaq Composite fell 1.88%, its sharpest decline since July 23, when it lost 2.2%. The S&P 500 retreated 1.11%, its largest single-day drop since July 29, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.09%.
Sentiment toward artificial intelligence-linked equities weakened further as the inflation reading fueled concerns about Fed tightening. Investors were also focused on rising corporate borrowing tied to AI infrastructure spending, political opposition to data centers and competition from Chinese chipmakers.
The pressure extended across global markets. In South Korea, Samsung Electronics dropped 9.5%, while SK Hynix sank 11%. Japan’s SoftBank Group declined 9.3% as investors reduced exposure to major AI-related names across Asia.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company issued guidance that exceeded expectations, but that was not enough to stabilize regional markets. South Korea’s Kospi ended 7.5% lower, and Japan’s Nikkei 225 lost 4.9%. In Europe, ASML, the region’s most valuable company, fell more than 6%.
Selling also carried into U.S. premarket trading. Micron Technology dropped 4.5%, while Intel and Advanced Micro Devices each declined about 3.5%. Nvidia traded 1.85% lower.
Government bonds drew demand as equity risk appetite weakened. A decline in oil prices also added downward pressure on yields. The 10-year Treasury yield moved below 5.1%, while the 30-year yield fell to about 5.43%. Eurozone bond markets followed the same direction as U.S. debt.
Oil prices also moved lower on Thursday. Brent crude declined 2.03% to $103.91 a barrel, even as shipping across the region continued to face strikes. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude slipped 0.17% to $94.93.
Market participants will next assess additional U.S. economic releases. September producer price data, retail sales figures and weekly jobless claims are scheduled for 8:30 a.m. (Eastern Time).
