US stock futures rise as Amazon and Apple boost market sentiment

US equity futures climbed on Friday, supported by upbeat earnings from Amazon and Apple after a brief pause in the global stock rally.

Futures on the S&P 500 were up 0.6%, while contracts on the Nasdaq 100 gained 1.1%, recovering from Thursday’s pullback in tech shares. Apple traded higher in late deals after beating revenue expectations and issuing a strong holiday sales outlook. Amazon surged 13% in extended trading on the back of its fastest cloud-unit growth in nearly three years, while Nvidia secured new AI partnerships with major South Korean firms.

Asian markets were mixed. Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 2.1% to a fresh all-time high, but mainland Chinese and Hong Kong equities fell more than 1%. European stocks were poised for a weaker open. Gold extended declines and the dollar and US Treasury yields steadied, while the yen strengthened amid rising Tokyo inflation and renewed government attention to currency moves.

Thursday’s drop in mega-cap tech stocks had raised concerns over the sustainability of heavy artificial-intelligence spending. Analysts say investors are now focused on which companies can stay competitive in the AI race while balancing soaring capital costs. Despite the volatility, Wall Street’s enthusiasm for AI remains strong, with equity markets having added roughly $17 trillion in value since April.

Markets also reacted to signs of easing US-China tensions. Washington and Beijing agreed to extend a tariff truce and reduce trade barriers following a high-level summit, giving investors additional confidence that global supply-chain risks may moderate.