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* Futures down: Dow 0.02%, S&P 500 0.01%, Nasdaq 0.2%
July 16 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were subdued on
Thursday as investors paused after a two-day rally, while chip
stocks remained under pressure ahead of fresh economic reports
and another batch of quarterly results.
Chip stocks extended declines from the previous session when
investors rotated into megacap technology names and banks
following strong results from major lenders.
U.S.-listed shares of TSMC fell 3.2% in premarket
trading, even after the advanced AI chipmaker reported a 77%
jump in second-quarter profit that topped market expectations.
The company also said it would invest an additional $100 billion
in the United States.
Memory-chip makers were among the biggest decliners, with
Western Digital ( WDC ) and Seagate Technology ( STX ) down 3.9%
and 3.3%, respectively.
Wall Street's main indexes rose for a second straight
session on Wednesday after a softer-than-expected Producer Price
Index reading eased inflation concerns and reduced worries over
tighter Federal Reserve policy. The report followed benign
consumer inflation data earlier in the week.
A strong start to the second-quarter earnings season also
supported sentiment, even as U.S.-Iran tensions simmered in the
background.
"While geopolitical dynamics may trigger setbacks, earnings
should remain the key driver of performance for the remainder of
the year," said Mark Haefele, chief investment officer at UBS
Global Wealth Management.
"In fact, with the U.S. second-quarter earnings season
kicking off with solid beats, we expect another strong set of
results in the coming weeks."
At 5:18 a.m. ET, Dow E-minis were down 9 points, or
0.02%, and S&P 500 E-minis were down 1 point, or 0.01%.
Nasdaq 100 E-minis were down 63.75 points, or 0.21%.
Moving ahead in the day, investors will be looking to retail
sales data and jobless claims at 8:30 a.m. ET for further signs
of whether the economy is slowing enough to keep inflation under
control without sparking growth concerns.
Markets are currently pricing in a 10.2% likelihood that the
Fed will implement a 25-basis-point rate hike at this month's
monetary policy meeting, according to CME's FedWatch tool.
The benchmark S&P 500 has climbed more than 10% this
year and remains near its June record close, leaving the rally
vulnerable to any disappointment in data or earnings.
United Airlines fell 2.3% as a renewed surge in oil
prices weighed on its third-quarter and full-year profit
outlooks.
Further on the earnings front, UnitedHealth ( UNH ) will
report its results before the bell and Netflix ( NFLX ) is
scheduled to report its after the market's close.