FX.co ★ US Futures Rise, Intel Soars

U.S. futures saw an uptick on Thursday, with S&P 500 futures increasing by 0.9%, Nasdaq 100 futures climbing by 1.3%, and the Dow Jones rising by over 300 points. This movement comes in response to the Federal Reserve's first interest rate adjustment of the year. Market activity was turbulent shortly after the announcement and during Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's subsequent press conference. During his remarks, Powell characterized the rate reduction as a "risk management" strategy, emphasizing that there are no entirely safe pathways. Investors currently seem optimistic that the central bank will prioritize its employment objectives. The Federal Reserve lowered the federal funds rate by 25 basis points and indicated plans for an additional 50 basis points cut within the year, with another 25 basis points reduction anticipated in 2026. In corporate developments, Nvidia experienced a more than 3% surge in premarket trading, while Intel's shares soared nearly 29% following the news that Nvidia will make a $5 billion investment for a minority stake in Intel.