United States equity futures were mixed on Wednesday night (Thursday AEST) after the benchmark index ended a nine-day winning streak, as renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East weighed on investor sentiment and investors monitored after-hours earnings results.
By 10:20 am AEST (12:20 am GMT), Dow futures were flat, S&P 500 futures had fallen 0.4%, and Nasdaq 100 futures were down 0.7%.
In extended trading, several major stocks moved sharply on earnings results, with investors reacting to both revenue beats and forward guidance concerns.
Broadcom shares fell 13.8% despite reporting earnings per share of $2.44 versus $2.40 expected and revenue of $22.19 billion compared with $22.13 billion expected.
However, its $7.18 billion infrastructure revenue segment missed StreetAccount estimates of $7.32 billion.
Discount retailer Five Below dropped 12.5% even after posting stronger-than-expected results and issuing an improved outlook. Earnings per share came in at $2.22 versus $1.77 expected, while revenue reached $1.29 billion versus $1.23 billion expected.
The company forecast second-quarter revenue between $1.18 billion and $1.2 billion, compared with expectations of $1.15 billion.
Cybersecurity group CrowdStrike declined 11.2% after issuing softer-than-expected second-quarter guidance. The company reported earnings per share of $1.10 versus $1.07 expected and revenue of $1.39 billion versus $1.36 billion expected.
It forecast Q2 revenue of around $1.44 billion, slightly above StreetAccount estimates of $1.3 billion.
PVH, the parent company of Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein, tumbled 19.4% despite reaffirming full-year earnings guidance. It reported earnings per share of $2.01 versus $1.82 expected on revenue of $2.03 billion versus $2.0 billion expected.
Broader market sentiment was also pressured by rising U.S.–Iran tensions, which pushed oil prices and Treasury yields higher.
During Wednesday's regular session, the S&P 500 fell 0.7%, while the Nasdaq Composite declined 0.9%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 620.72 points, or 1.2%.
Oil prices rose after escalations in the conflict, including reports that Iran struck Kuwait International Airport and U.S. Central Command carried out strikes on Qeshm Island in the Persian Gulf.
The U.S. said the actions were in response to attempted attacks by Tehran.
Despite recent weakness, the S&P 500 had previously notched a nine-session winning streak, with market strategists noting that pullbacks are typical after strong runs.
Ciena and Brown-Forman are scheduled to report earnings before the next session’s opening bell.
Investors will also focus on upcoming U.S. data releases, including unit labour costs, productivity figures, and initial jobless claims for the week ending 30 May, as they assess the outlook for growth and inflation.
