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postUS stocks roughly wavered early Thursday as concerns about Big Tech continued to dog markets and private jobs data showed a tough month for layoffs in October.
The S&P 500 (^GSPC) and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) both held nearly flat, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) lost a bit over 0.1%.
The market received bearish data on jobs Thursday morning, as a report from the global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas showed that last month was the worst October for layoff announcements since 2003. Companies slashed roles to save money, pared back pandemic-era hires, and planned ahead for artificial intelligence, the report said. Employers announced 153,074 cuts last month, compared to 55,597 cuts in October 2024.
Meanwhile, investors are trying to parse mixed signals as they debate whether tech valuations are too lofty. Chipmaker Qualcomm (QCOM) posted strong earnings and upbeat guidance in after hours, but its stock slipped — reflecting investor disappointment. But at the same time, Arm (ARM) shares tipped higher after the chip designer credited AI demand for a quarterly revenue forecast that topped estimates.
That turns a spotlight on Tesla’s (TSLA) shareholder meeting, scheduled to start at 4 p.m. ET. A vote on Elon Musk’s proposed trillion-dollar pay package is the main event, amid worries he will quit as the EV maker’s CEO if the plan is rejected. Overall, though, investors will watch the outcome for signs the “Magnificent Seven” tech megacaps that include Tesla can continue to power this year’s rally in stocks.
Also, the market took note of skepticism from several Supreme Court justices on the legality of Trump’s sweeping trade tariffs, even though Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he was “very, very optimistic.” A ruling against the policy could roll back the duties, with enormous impact on international trade as well as domestic spending.
Wall Street is also calculating the fallout from the FAA’s decision to cut 10% of flights at 40 airports because of the federal shutdown, which entered its sixth week and record 37th day on Thursday. The move aims to keep travelers safe amid a shortage of air traffic controllers, who haven’t been paid for almost a month. The canceled flights add to already disruptive delays due to the staffing pressures.
On the earnings front, results from Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), Airbnb (ABNB), and Moderna (MRNA) the standouts on Thursday’s docket.
LIVE 12 updates
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Stocks hold flat after the opening bell on Thursday
US stocks fell from early gains in premarket trading to hold roughly flat as concerns about Big Tech and a bearish round of layoff data continued to weigh on markets.
The S&P 500 (^GSPC), the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC), and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) all held roughly flat at the market open as a sell-off in tech stocks eased.
Today’s spotlight will largely focus on Tesla’s (TSLA) shareholder meeting, scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. ET. A vote on Elon Musk’s proposed trillion-dollar pay package is the main event, amid worries he will quit as the EV maker’s CEO if the plan is rejected.
The market action comes as the US government shutdown enters its 37th day, making it the longest in the country’s history. Wall Street is the fallout from the FAA’s decision to cut 10% of flights at 40 airports because of the federal shutdown. Shares in Delta Air Lines (DAL) and Southwest (LUV) continued to gain Thursday morning after putting up more than 5% on Wednesday, while United Airlines (UAL) fell by a bit over 0.6% in the first minutes of Thursday’s session.
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Airlines wobble in early trading on Thursday
Major airline stocks began to pare strong gains made through Wednesday’s trading window after Department of Transportation Sean Duffy said the US would cut down flight capacity by 10% as the government shutdown keeps air traffic control workers without pay.
Shares in Delta Air Lines (DAL) and Southwest Airlines (LUV) fell by more than 0.7% in premarket trading Thursday morning, while United Airlines Holdings (UAL) lost a bit over 1.4%. JetBlue Airways (JBLU) stock fell 0.4%.
All four airlines posted gains of more than 5% on Wednesday.
The directive from the transportation department, which is set to be implemented on Friday, is likely to impact many of the country’s largest airports, according to a proposed list provided to CBS News. The agency is set to publicly announce the markets impacted by the directive on Thursday.
Duffy said Wednesday that international routes would remain unaffected.
The shutdown, now the longest in US history, has roiled airports and left travelers with long lines and delayed flights as air traffic controllers, essential to airport operations, have been left without paychecks. US air carriers were told Wednesday night that they should prepare to cut flights by 4% on Friday and a further 5% on Saturday, according to Bloomberg.
Read more about how the government shutdown is affecting flights here.
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Last month marked worst October for layoffs in more than 20 years: Challenger
Last month was the worst October for layoff announcements since 2003 as companies slashed roles to save money, pared back pandemic-era hires, and planned ahead for artificial intelligence, according to the global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
Yahoo Finance’s Emma Ockerman reports:
Read more here.
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Good morning. Here’s what’s happening today.
Economic data: Challenger job cuts (October); Nonfarm productivity (third quarter preliminary reading); Unit labor costs (third quarter preliminary reading); Initial jobless claims (week ended Nov. 1)
Earnings calendar: AstraZeneca (AZN), ConocoPhillips (COP), Airbnb (ABNB), Monster Beverage (MNST), Vistra (VST), EOG Resources (EOG), Datadog (DDOG), Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), Block (XYZ), Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM), Consolidated Edison (ED), Kenvue (KVUE), Expedia Group (EXPE), The Trade Desk (TTD), Tapestry (TPR), Affirm Holdings (AFRM), Ralph Lauren (RL), Evergy (EVRG), Alliant Energy Corporation (LNT), US Food (USFD), News Corp. (NWS), DraftKings (DKNG), Hyatt Hotels (H), Wynn Resorts (WYNN), MP Materials (MP), Texas Roadhouse (TXRH), Moderna (MRNA), Avidity Biosciences (RNA), Dropbox (DBX), Planet Fitness (PLNT), Soundhound AI (SOUN), H&R Block (HRB), Nexstar Media Group (NXST), NuScale Power (SMR), Opendoor Technologies (OPEN), Oscar Health (OSCR), Grindr (GRND), PENN Entertainment (PENN), Warby Parker (WRBY), Hanesbrands (HBI), USA Rare Earth (USAR), Ivanhoe Electric (IE), Under Armour (UAA), Lionsgate Studios (LION)
Here are some of the biggest stories you may have missed overnight and early this morning:
Job cuts in October hit highest level in over 20 years
Modest jobs growth casts doubt on story of the economy
US to cut flights 10% at 40 airports because of shutdown
FAA to slash air traffic as Trump blames shutdown for GOP struggles
Texas gas giant says it’s sitting on ‘holy grail’ for AI power needs
BofA outlines its plans for earnings growth and AI
Moderna stock pops amid cost-cutting efforts
Sparks fly as Tesla’s trillion-dollar day for Musk arrives
Bessent leaves Supreme Court hearing on Trump tariffs ‘optimistic’
Trump to raise SNAP payments after calculation ‘error’
Moderna gains on sharp cost cuts as Covid vaccine declines
Nvidia-backed startup strikes $1.17B AI deal with CoreWeave
China sells $4 billion of dollar bonds as US tensions ease
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AI stock wobble points to US market reliance on tech
US stocks fell sharply early this week amid worries that a boom in AI company valuations could be cooling. Morgan Stanley (MS) and Goldman Sachs (GS) CEO’s warned on Tuesday that stock markets could head toward a correction, fueling growing concerns over sky-high valuations.
“We should welcome the possibility that there would be drawdowns, 10% to 15%, that are not driven by some sort of macro cliff effect,” Morgan Stanley CEO Ted Pick said.
This recent shake to equities came as a reminder that the US stock market relies heavily on tech.
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
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Snap stock soars on Perplexity partnership, revenue and DAU beats
Snap (SNAP) stock soared nearly 20% after the tech company reported a revenue beat, issued a strong forecast, and announced a partnership with Perplexity AI (PEAI.PVT).
As part of that partnership, Perplexity will pay Snap $400 million starting in early 2026 to appear in the Chat interface for Snapchatters worldwide.
“Our goal is to make AI more personal, social, and fun — woven into the fabric of your friendships, Snaps, and conversations,” Snap CEO Evan Spiegel said. “This partnership reflects our shared vision for the power of AI to enhance discovery and connection on Snapchat, and we look forward to collaborating with more innovative partners in the future.”
For the third quarter, the company reported a $0.06 loss per share, versus a $0.12 loss estimated by Wall Street analysts, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Revenue grew 10% year over year to $1.5 billion, compared to $1.49 billion estimated by analysts and $1.34 billion in Q2. It marked a deceleration from the 15.5% annual revenue growth in Q3 2024.
For the fourth quarter, Snap expects sales to be between $1.68 billion and $1.71 billion, also ahead of estimates.
Daily active users (DAU) grew 8% year over-year to 477 million. The company had guided for 476 million in Q3.
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Bank of America outlines plans for earnings growth and AI in first investor day in years
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Premarket trending tickers: Nvidia, Duolingo and DoorDash
Nvidia (NVDA) stock rose 1% on Thursday before the bell. The rise followed CEO Jensen Huang’s comments to the FT, warning that China could win the AI race with the US.
Duolingo (DUOL) stock plunged 24% before the bell after the company’s forecast for the fourth quarter outlined bookings below Wall Street estimates.
DoorDash (DASH) stock plunged in premarket trading on Thursday. Despite the delivery company’s third quarter revenue beating estimates, earnings fell short.
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Marvell rises after report SoftBank weighed potential takeover
Marvell Technology Inc. (MRVL) stock rose 11% before the bell on Thursday following a report that Japanese company Softbank (SFTBY) was weighing a potential takeover of the US chipmaker, according to people familiar with the matter.
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here.
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Elon Musk’s $1 trillion pay fight — and other things to expect at Thursday’s Tesla shareholder meeting
Tesla holds its 2025 shareholder meeting on Thursday, kicking off at 4 p.m. ET with a lot riding on the vote on CEO Elon Musk’s pay deal.
Yahoo Finance’s Pras Subramanian lays out the high stakes and what to watch:
Read more here.
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Robinhood stock ticks lower as 300% jump in crypto revenue leaves some wanting more
Robinhood (HOOD) shares edged lower in premarket as investors digested the trading platform’s third quarter earnings release.
Yahoo Finance’s Ines Ferré reports:
Read more here.
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Housing issues cause James Hardie shares to plummet
Bloomberg reports:
Read more here.
