Dow Jones Stock Markets: Dow, Nasdaq, S&P 500 fall sharply; Nvidia worst-hit; Top 3 reasonshttps://t.co/ZEb4ZN4Pgf
— ET NOW (@ETNOWlive) April 17, 2025
U.S. stock index futures were mixed on Thursday, with the Dow Jones set to open lower while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq were poised for gains. The divergence comes after a sharp selloff in the previous session, driven by a steep decline in technology stocks and mounting tariff worries. Dow futures tumbled over 280 points, or 0.7%, weighed down by a 19% plunge in UnitedHealth shares following an earnings miss and lowered guidance from the health insurer.
In contrast, S&P 500 futures were up 0.6%, and Nasdaq-100 futures advanced nearly 1%.
Stocks To Watch | 📊Ready, set, trade! Keep an eye on these stocks as they set the market abuzz #StockMarket #TrumpTarrifs pic.twitter.com/AdfXcJ3cLB
— ET NOW (@ETNOWlive) April 17, 2025
Chipmaker Nvidia, which lost 6.9% on Wednesday after warning of a $5.5 billion charge related to export restrictions, saw its shares rebound in premarket trading. Sentiment in the tech sector also got a boost from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), which reported better-than-expected first-quarter results.
The US stock market does not like what it is hearing so far from Chair Powell's Q&A.#economy #markets #stocks #investing #investors #FederalReserve pic.twitter.com/dKpQApbDzI
— Mohamed A. El-Erian (@elerianm) April 16, 2025
Despite the morning’s gains, the major averages are on track for weekly losses exceeding 1% each, as concerns persist around global tariffs and their potential impact on the economy.
Dow drags as tech rebounds
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell expressed worries that ongoing trade tensions could challenge the central bank’s goals of maximum employment and stable prices.
In Asia, markets mostly rose on Thursday, with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gaining 1.61% and Japan’s Nikkei 225 adding 1.35%. However, European stocks fell ahead of a key European Central Bank rate decision. Investors are also closely watching U.S.-Japan trade talks, which President Donald Trump said had made “big progress.” The negotiations come amid a series of face-to-face discussions with dozens of countries following the imposition of sweeping tariffs on global imports.
Oil prices rose following fresh U.S. sanctions on Iran, while the U.S. dollar’s recent selloff paused as traders digested the latest trade news and remarks from Powell. Bitcoin and XRP prices increased, with speculation suggesting that news related to Trump tariffs could potentially spark the next surge in the crypto market. Today’s trading session will likely be influenced by various factors, including UnitedHealth’s disappointing earnings, ongoing trade developments, and a series of corporate earnings reports.