Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on October 20, 2025 in New York City.
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Stock futures were slightly higher Monday night following broad gains in pre-market trading. Investors are awaiting a busy earnings week that will signal the trajectory of a market that continues to soar.
Futures linked to the Dow Jones Industrial Average It added 33 points, or less than 0.1%. S&P futures and Nasdaq 100 futures Each one floats on a flat line.
Zions Bancorp shares rose 2% in after-hours trading after the regional bank said its third-quarter profit rose from a year earlier, despite the disclosure of some bad loans late last week, triggering a broader market selloff.
Three major U.S. indexes rose on Monday on a surge in Apple shares and optimism that the U.S. government shutdown is nearing an end. National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Monday that the impasse, the third-longest government shutdown in U.S. history, “will likely end this week” and that the White House is prepared to take stronger steps to force an end to the stalemate if a deal is not reached this week.
Investors are watching for a crucial week as third-quarter earnings recover in the coming days. Netflix and coca cola It is scheduled to report on Tuesday, and Tesla is expected to report on Wednesday. So far, a strong start to earnings season appears to be supporting the broader market rally, especially amid the economic data blackout caused by the government shutdown.
About three-quarters of S&P 500 companies that have reported earnings so far have beat expectations, according to Bank of America. Big tech companies are expected to account for the lion’s share of profits as the artificial intelligence industry continues to perform well, with the “Magnificent 7” companies expected to report 14.9% year-over-year profit growth, compared to 6.7% for the remaining 493 companies in the index, according to FactSet.
“If MagSeven can deliver on its elevated earnings expectations…the market could see further upside,” said Anthony Saglimbene, chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial. “Given rising expectations and valuations, this group’s results could influence the direction of the broader market towards the end of the year.”
“Earnings upside, coupled with a stable outlook and strong AI tailwinds, could be received favorably heading into earnings season, although one could argue that the stock price is already reflecting these positives,” Sagrimbene added.
Supporting sentiment is also the market’s expectation that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates by another quarter of a percentage point at its meeting in late October. Consumer price index data released on Friday is expected to provide clues about the inflation situation and could influence the central bank’s future decisions.
The US-China trade conflict is also attracting attention. President Donald Trump threatened to impose 100% tariffs on Chinese imports starting November 1, but his optimistic comments about a possible trade deal with China have allayed concerns about an escalating trade war. President Trump said Monday that he hopes to reach a fair agreement with Beijing after a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled for later this month in South Korea.
