Dow Jones, S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures ticked up on Sunday night after a week of sharp declines in AI‑linked stocks. Investors are eyeing upcoming earnings from Meta, Tesla and SpaceX for clues on whether AI capital spending can regain momentum.
Dow Jones futures rose modestly Sunday evening, with the index up about 0.2% (roughly 110 points) and S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures each gaining around 0.2% and 0.4% respectively, according to CNBC’s live market update on 2026-10-18.[2] The modest rebound follows a turbulent week in which the S&P 500 slipped nearly 2% and the Nasdaq tumbled 4.5%, marking the steepest weekly drop for the tech‑heavy index since June.
Market participants cite growing unease over the artificial‑intelligence trade. Anthropic’s third‑quarter revenue of $16.8 billion, while higher than the $11.6 billion posted in Q2, raised concerns about the pace of AI‑related growth, prompting investors to scrutinize AI‑focused companies such as CoreWeave. The data‑center specialist plunged 25% last week, its credit default swaps hitting distress levels and prompting Goldman Sachs traders to note that AI credit spreads are at the widest point of the year, a situation last seen when equities were roughly 15% lower.[2]
Despite the volatility, oil prices remained relatively stable, providing a modest cushion for equities. However, geopolitical tensions—particularly recent attacks on oil infrastructure in the Persian Gulf and a Ukrainian strike on a Russian terminal—kept energy markets on alert, with Brent and WTI futures trading slightly lower on Sunday.[2]
Analysts are now turning to earnings season for potential relief. Meta Platforms, Tesla and SpaceX are slated to report this week, and investors hope that strong results and renewed capital‑expenditure plans could revive confidence in the AI sector. Investors.com highlighted that the upcoming earnings could be a decisive factor for the market’s direction after the recent sell‑off.[1]
Overall, market breadth remains thin and put‑option activity stays elevated, suggesting that while futures have nudged higher, sentiment around AI spending and financing remains cautious. The next few days of corporate results will likely shape whether the AI trade can regain its earlier momentum or continue to face headwinds.