Major sell-off in stocks after mixed signals from the Fed press conference

U.S. stock futures moved higher on Thursday as investors evaluated the latest Big Tech earnings, the Federal Reserves decision to keep interest rates unchanged, and renewed tensions in the Middle East. Dow futures rose 0.07%, while S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.21% and 0.50%, respectively.

The gains in futures followed a sharp selloff on Wall Street during the previous session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 2.2%, marking its biggest one-day decline since April 2025, while the S&P 500 fell 1.5% and the Nasdaq Composite lost 1.7%.

Asian markets traded mixed, reflecting cautious investor sentiment. Japan‘s Nikkei 225 gained 0.7%, while South Korea’s Kospi fell 0.9% and Australias ASX 200 declined 0.8%.

Investors also reacted to mixed earnings from major technology companies. Microsoft surged 8% in after-hours trading after reporting strong Azure cloud growth, while Meta dropped 7% following a weaker-than-expected revenue forecast. The results highlighted the growing divergence in how AI investments are translating into financial performance across the tech sector.

Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged, but Treasury yields climbed sharply as markets reassessed the outlook for monetary policy. The 30-year Treasury yield rose above 5.2%, with investors now looking to upcoming economic data to determine whether the Fed could adjust rates at its September meeting.

Attention now turns to several key economic releases, including weekly jobless claims, the June Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) inflation report, and the first estimate of second-quarter GDP.

Gold prices remained under pressure on Thursday after failing to hold above the $4,100 level, as the U.S. dollar recovered and investors continued to price in the possibility of another Federal Reserve interest rate hike later this year.

Geopolitical tensions remain a key driver of market sentiment. The conflict between the U.S. and Iran, including military strikes and threats to major shipping routes such as the Strait of Hormuz has pushed oil prices higher and increased concerns over energy-driven inflation.