December 9, 2024

Stock Sparky

The Stock Sparky Authority

5 Things to Know Before the Stock Market Opens

5 Things to Know Before the Stock Market Opens

U.S. stock futures are moving lower on Russian tensions; Walmart (WMT) shares are jumping in premarket trading after the retailer posted better-than-expected results and raised its fiscal 2025 outlook; Alphabet (GOOGL) shares are edging lower as the Justice Department reportedly is prepared to ask a federal judge to force the Google parent to sell its Chrome browser as part of an antitrust case settlement; Super Micro Computer (SMCI) shares are soaring after the company filed plans to meet its Nasdaq listing obligations; and investors are watching MicroStrategy (MSTR) after its shares hit a record high on news the software firm was adding more bitcoin to its portfolio.

1. US Stock Futures Point Lower on Tensions With Russia

Following a mostly positive start to the week for U.S. stocks, futures are lower Tuesday morning amid geopolitical tensions, as Russian president Vladimir Putin lowered the threshold for a nuclear strike. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures are 0.5% lower, S&P 500 futures are down by 0.3%, and Nasdaq futures are 0.2% lower. Crude oil futures are down about 0.6% and 10-year Treasury yields are edging lower, while bitcoin (BTCUSD) is 2% higher to trade above $92,000.

2. Walmart Stock Jumps on Sales, Profit Growth, Improved Outlook

Walmart (WMT) shares are up nearly 4% in premarket trading after it reported better third-quarter fiscal 2025 results than analysts expected and raised its guidance for 2025. The retail giant reported $169.59 billion in revenue, up from $160.80 billion a year ago and above the $167.72 billion analysts expected, according to Visible Alpha. Walmart’s net income came in at $4.58 billion, or $0.57 per share, better than expectations of $4.25 billion and $0.53 per share, respectively. The retailer also lifted its fiscal 2025 projections, expecting sales to grow between a range of 4.8% to 5.1% year-over-year, up from a previous range of 3.75% to 4.75%.

3. DOJ Looking to Force Google to Sell Chrome, Reports Say

The U.S. Department of Justice is preparing to ask a federal judge to consider pushing Alphabet’s (GOOGL) Google to divest its Chrome browser, according to reports, as the Biden administration’s top antitrust officials crack down on the tech industry before leaving office. The Wall Street Journal reported that a court filing is due by the DOJ Wednesday, while Bloomberg reported that the department will ask judge Amit Mehta to require measures linked to Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) and its Android smartphone operating system. Shares of Alphabet are little changed in premarket trading.

4. Super Micro Computer Stock Soars After Naming Auditor

Super Micro Computer (SMCI) shares are surging 25% in premarket trading, continuing their climb after the company named a new auditor and filed a compliance plan to avoid delisting by the Nasdaq. The server maker said BDO USA would serve as its new auditor after EY resigned, and that it asked the Nasdaq for an extension to complete its delayed annual report. Supermicro shares rose nearly 16% yesterday on reports that it was prepared to meet its financial reporting requirements, but were still down nearly 24% from the start of the year through Monday’s close.

5. Investors Watching MicroStrategy After Stock Hits Record High

MicroStrategy (MSTR) shares are in focus after surging to a new record high Monday following news the software analytics company had purchased an additional $4.6 billion of bitcoin. The company bought 51,780 BTC at an average price of approximately $88,627 per coin, bringing its total holdings to 331,200 BTC, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing. MicroStrategy shares have surged nearly sixfold since the start of the year through Monday’s close, significantly outpacing bitcoin’s year to date (YTD) return of around 115%, and are up a further 3% in premarket trading.