U.S. stock futures showed modest movement early Thursday after the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite closed at new record highs in the previous session. Traders cited a combination of hopes for potential U.S.-Iran talks and ongoing corporate earnings as factors that helped lift sentiment into the close.
By 07:51 ET (11:51 GMT), futures were broadly higher but subdued: S&P 500 futures were up 7 points, or 0.1%; Nasdaq 100 futures had gained 50 points, or 0.2%; and Dow Jones futures had ticked up 69 points, or 0.1%.
Premarket movers
- PepsiCo - The food and beverage company delivered first-quarter results that beat analyst expectations, and the news pushed its shares higher in premarket trading.
- Charles Schwab - The brokerage reported first-quarter earnings per share that topped consensus estimates. However, the firm did not provide specific guidance for the current quarter or the full year, and its shares traded lower ahead of the open.
- Abbott Laboratories - Shares fell after the company warned that its annual profit outlook will be affected by its recent $23 billion acquisition of Exact Sciences, the cancer test maker.
- Citizens Financial Group - The lender inched higher after reporting an almost 39% year-over-year increase in first-quarter profit, driven by elevated interest income and higher fees at its capital markets unit.
- Blue Owl Capital - Shares moved up after reports that bond manager Pimco purchased all $400 million of bonds issued by Blue Owl's business development company, according to a Bloomberg News report.
- Bank of New York - The bank rose after posting first-quarter earnings per share that exceeded expectations, supported by higher revenue and margin expansion.
- KeyCorp - Stock was relatively muted after KeyCorp reported first-quarter earnings that were slightly above estimates.
- U.S. Bancorp - The bank dipped slightly after reiterating its full-year guidance.
- Marsh - Despite reporting first-quarter adjusted earnings per share above estimates, shares were muted; the results were aided in part by strong returns in the risk and insurance services business.
- Travelers - Shares fell after the insurance bellwether reported an underlying combined ratio that was only marginally higher than expected and net premium growth that disappointed Wall Street forecasts.
- ManpowerGroup - The global workforce solutions firm edged up on first-quarter revenue that rose 10% year-over-year, topping expectations.
Embedded within market commentary was a promotional note aimed at active traders: a chart-analysis tool was highlighted for those following the Charles Schwab trade, promising entry, stop-loss, and profit-target guidance based on visual chart interpretation.
Overall, the premarket session reflected a market balancing recent record-setting gains with company-specific earnings outcomes and guidance signals. Sectors affected included consumer staples and beverages, where PepsiCo's beat provided a positive datapoint; financials and banks, where earnings and guidance produced mixed reactions across regional and national lenders; and insurance, where underwriting and premium growth metrics shaped investor responses.
Market participants heading into the regular trading session awaited additional corporate reports and any developments on geopolitical talks that had helped underpin the previous session's rallies.