Stock futures edged higher on Thursday evening, even as the major averages plunged earlier in the day. Investors remain anxious about President Donald Trump's tariff policies, which have sparked concerns over the potential impact on future U.S. growth. Despite recent concessions in tariff policies, investor confidence has yet to stabilize.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures rose by 44 points, or 0.1%, while the Nasdaq 100 futures advanced 0.5%. The S&P 500 futures also saw a gain of 0.3%. These increases, however, come on the heels of a broad sell-off earlier on Thursday, reflecting ongoing market volatility.
"Markets are all over the place trying to price tariff impacts, which is really hard to do when the goal post moves, disappears, and morphs by the second," said Jamie Cox, managing partner at Harris Financial Group.
In corporate news, Super Micro Computer's stock soared over 20% in extended trading following the submission of crucial financial filings to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company filed its updated and audited report for fiscal 2024 and its statements for the first two quarters of fiscal 2025. This submission came just in time, as Nasdaq had set a deadline of February 25 for these filings to avoid delisting.
Super Micro reported fiscal first-quarter operating earnings of $1.92 per share, surpassing analysts' expectations. Experts polled by FactSet had forecast earnings of $1.69 per share, making the company's performance a positive surprise for investors.
Looking ahead, the February nonfarm payrolls report is poised to be a significant market driver. Economists polled by Dow Jones anticipate an increase of 170,000 jobs in the report, which will provide further insights into the health of the U.S. labor market and broader economy.