United States stock futures ticked higher on Thursday (Friday AEST), following fresh record closes for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, as investors digested a fresh wave of earnings reports and awaited further economic data.
By 9:15 am AEST (11:15 pm GMT), futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq were each up 0.1%.
In extended trading, Netflix slipped 1.6% despite posting stronger-than-expected second-quarter earnings and revenue. The streaming giant also raised its full-year revenue forecast, citing a weaker U.S. dollar as a primary driver of the upgrade.
Interactive Brokers rose 4.4% after delivering quarterly earnings in line with expectations. The company reported adjusted diluted earnings per share of $0.51.
The futures gains come on the heels of a positive session on Wall Street overnight. The S&P 500 climbed 0.5% to close at a new all-time high, while the Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.7%, also hitting a record close. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.5%.
All three benchmarks are on track for weekly gains, driven by a generally upbeat earnings season. Strong results from major names including PepsiCo and United Airlines on Thursday followed better-than-expected reports earlier in the week from JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs.
Economic data has also bolstered sentiment. Initial jobless claims for the week ending July 12 declined to 221,000, the lowest in three months, indicating continued labour market strength.
Meanwhile, June retail sales rose 0.6%, comfortably beating forecasts and suggesting resilient consumer demand despite inflationary pressures.
Looking ahead, investors are anticipating further earnings on Friday, with 3M and American Express set to report before the market opens.
On the economic front, attention will turn to the University of Michigan’s preliminary reading of July consumer sentiment, expected to rise to 61.5 from 60.7 previously.
