US equity futures rose on Thursday after weaker-than-expected jobs data pushed back expectations of further Federal Reserve tightening. Futures on the S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, and Dow Jones Industrial Average were all up about 0.5%, with the Dow reaching a fresh record high. The US economy added a net 57,000 jobs in June—roughly half of consensus forecasts—marking a pause in the recent run of strong payroll gains. The softer print limits the Fed’s scope to tighten policy further in response to inflation, reinforcing expectations that interest rates have likely peaked and bolstering credit‑sensitive equities.
Traditional sectors remained firm, with stocks such as JPMorgan and Eli Lilly trading near record levels. At the same time, major AI‑linked “hyperscalers” extended Wednesday’s advance. The Nasdaq 100 was set to rebound as semiconductor names bounced back, with Micron and SanDisk each gaining about 2% in premarket trading. Still, volatility across the AI complex persisted, as upbeat long‑term guidance continued to collide with mounting concerns over potential overcapacity in AI infrastructure.
