US equity index futures were little changed on Wednesday, hovering near record highs as optimism about the AI-driven economy offset worries over the prolonged standoff between Iran and the United States. Futures linked to the S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and Nasdaq 100 traded close to the flatline.
Energy prices climbed further, reinforcing pro-inflationary pressures and sustaining expectations that the Federal Reserve could still deliver a rate hike this year. The move followed reports of overnight exchanges of strikes between Iran and Gulf Cooperation Council countries that host US military bases.
Nonetheless, robust optimism over AI demand and surging orders for AI infrastructure continued to underpin the technology sector, driving another session of relative strength for the Nasdaq. Marvell Technology jumped 15% in premarket trading, adding to a 30% gain in the previous session after Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang suggested the chipmaker could become the next trillion‑dollar company. Meta Platforms also advanced about 1% in early trading, pausing its losses from earlier in the week.
In corporate news, Macy’s rose about 3% in premarket action after reporting stronger‑than‑expected earnings and raising its full‑year guidance.
