financetom
Market
financetom
/
Market
/
US Equity Futures Mostly Lower Pre-Bell Amid Continued Middle East Standoff, AI Spending Concerns
News World Market Environment Technology Personal Finance Politics Retail Business Economy Cryptocurrency Forex Stocks Market Commodities
US Equity Futures Mostly Lower Pre-Bell Amid Continued Middle East Standoff, AI Spending Concerns
Apr 28, 2026 6:17 AM

08:53 AM EDT, 04/28/2026 (MT Newswires) -- US equity futures were mostly lower pre-bell Tuesday as the US-Iran standoff continues with no end in sight, while concerns about heavy spending on data centers were brought into focus amid reports of OpenAI's missed targets.

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were 0.1% higher, S&P 500 futures were down 0.8%, and Nasdaq futures were 1.4% lower.

President Donald Trump was unhappy with Iran's latest proposal to end the Middle East conflict, Reuters reported, citing a US official. Iran had proposed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by deferring nuclear talks to a later date, while Trump wants nuclear issues dealt with from the outset.

Microsoft ( MSFT )-backed (MSFT) OpenAI recently missed internal targets for new users and revenue, raising concerns among company leaders about being able to support its massive spending on data centers, according to a Wall Street Journal report that cited sources familiar with the matter.

Traders digested the latest round of earnings. Coca-Cola (KO) reported higher Q1 adjusted earnings and revenue, while Novartis ( NVS ) posted a decline in Q1 core earnings and net sales.

Oil prices were higher, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude up 2.5% at $104.21 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude 3.6% higher at $99.84 per barrel.

The February S&P Case-Shiller home price index, scheduled for release at 9 am ET, is expected to show a 0.2% gain following a similar increase in the preceding month, according to estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

The April consumer confidence index, due at 10 am ET, is projected to fall to 89.0 from 91.8.

In other world markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 1% lower, Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 1% lower, and China's Shanghai Composite finished 0.2% lower. Meanwhile, the UK's FTSE 100 was down 0.1%, and Germany's DAX index was 0.5% lower in Europe's early afternoon session.

In equities, Microsoft ( MSFT ), which is OpenAI's biggest investor, and Oracle (ORCL), which relies on the ChatGPT creator for its cloud computing plans, saw their shares decline 1.3% and 7.6%, respectively. Novartis ( NVS ) stock was down 1.4% after the company released its Q1 financial results.

On the winning side, Eni (E) stock was up 2.7% after the European energy firm and Repsol said they are planning to boost output at Venezuela's Cardon IV offshore gas field, according to a Reuters report. Bed Bath & Beyond ( BBBY ) shares were up 29% after the company reported a narrower Q1 adjusted loss and higher revenue. Coca-Cola stock was up 3% after the company published its Q1 financial results.

Comments
Welcome to financetom comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Related Articles >
Stock indices expected to bounce back this week
Stock indices expected to bounce back this week
Mar 15, 2020
The two key indices had witnessed heavy sell-off last week due to the global outbreak of Coronavirus and its impact on the world economy.
Gold imports dip 8.86% to $27 billion during April-February 2020
Gold imports dip 8.86% to $27 billion during April-February 2020
Mar 15, 2020
Gold imports, which have a bearing on the country's current account deficit (CAD), fell 8.86 percent to $27 billion (about Rs 1.90 lakh crore) during April-February period of the current financial year, according to commerce ministry data.
D-Street eyes relief as Wall St rebounds; US corporate debt market getting ugly
D-Street eyes relief as Wall St rebounds; US corporate debt market getting ugly
Mar 15, 2020
Investors in Indian stock markets are hoping for a continuation of the relief rally on Saturday, following the spectacular rally on Wall Street on Friday. European stocks too rose on Friday, but gave up some of their gains towards the close, reflecting the cautious mood among investors.
Top 10 firms lose Rs 4.22 lakh crore in market-cap
Top 10 firms lose Rs 4.22 lakh crore in market-cap
Mar 15, 2020
The 10 most valued domestic companies lost a massive Rs 4,22,393.44 crore in market capitalisation last week, with heavyweights TCS and RIL taking the biggest hit. In a nerve-wracking week for the markets, the BSE Sensex plummeted 3,473.14 points or 9.24 percent, largely in tandem with global equities which were hammered by panic selling amid the coronavirus pandemic. In the ranking of the 10 most valued firms, RIL remained at the top, followed by TCS, HDFC Bank, HUL, HDFC, ICICI Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Infosys, Bharti Airtel and Bajaj Finance. (Text: PTI)
Copyright 2023-2026 - www.financetom.com All Rights Reserved