5 Things to Know Before the Stock Market Opens

Futures are pointing to a lower open for major indexes as technology stocks remain under pressure; Alphabet shares are losing ground after the Google parent revealed a massive increase to its AI spending plans; Amazon is scheduled to report its fourth-quarter results after the closing bell today; Qualcomm shares are tumbling after the company issued a weak outlook owing to a memory chip shortage; and bitcoin has dropped below $70,000. Here’s what you need to know today.

Stock Futures Down After Two Days of Tech-Fueled Losses

Stock futures are losing ground this morning as investors assess more earnings reports from the tech sector. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the the S&P 500 were recently down 0.3% and 0.5%, respectively, while those linked to the tech-heavy Nasdaq dropped 0.8%. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq fell sharply on Wednesday for the second straight day as tech stocks came under pressure. The Dow, for its part, closed near a record high yesterday. Bitcoin’s recent rough stretch is continuing, with the cryptocurrency trading below $70,000 for the first time since November 2024. (more on this below) Gold futures were down 2% at $4,850 an ounce, while crude oil futures slipped 2.4% to $63.65 per barrel. The yield on the 10-year Treasury, which affects borrowing costs on a wide range of consumer loans, was at 4.26%, down from 4.28% at yesterday’s close.

Alphabet Stock Drops As Google Parent Plans AI Spending Surge

Shares of Alphabet (GOOGL) are sliding a day after the Google and YouTube parent reported fourth-quarter results. Alphabet’s revenue and profits topped estimates in the quarter, as CEO Sundar Pichai said the company’s Google Gemini app has crossed the 750 million monthly active user mark. The company is forecasting $175 billion to $185 billion in capital expenditures this year as it ramps up spending on AI. That would be roughly double the $91.45 billion Alphabet said it spent in 2025, and could be what’s spooking investors despite solid results otherwise. Big tech companies have faced increasing pressure in recent months to provide detailed plans for both how they spend their money on AI, and how they plan to see an adequate return on that investment. Alphabet stock was down more than 4% in premarket trading, as it continues to pull back from the record close it set on Monday. The stock has gained more than 70% over the past 12 months, making Alphabet the top performer among Magnificent Seven members over the period.

Amazon’s Results Due After the Closing Bell

Another Mag 7 member is scheduled to report fourth-quarter results today, with Amazon’s (AMZN) coming after the closing bell. Amazon is expected to report revenue of $211.55 billion, marking the first quarter Amazon’s revenue would surpass the $200 billion mark, with earnings per share projected to rise 11 cents year-over-year to $1.97. Analysts expect strong growth from Amazon Web Services, the tech giant’s cloud computing service, amid growing AI demand, along with a solid performance from Amazon’s retail business thanks to a healthy season of holiday spending. Recently, Amazon has made some moves to manage costs as it also boosts its AI spending, including cutting a total of 30,000 jobs in two rounds of layoffs since October, and shuttering its Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go stores to focus on expanding the Whole Foods brand and its other grocery delivery services. Amazon shares were down nearly 2% ahead of the opening bell.

Qualcomm Stock Tumbles As Outlook Shows Impact of Memory Chip Shortage

Shares of Qualcomm (QCOM) are falling sharply this morning after the chipmaker’s latest results showed a disappointing outlook for the current quarter. Qualcomm, which makes processing chips that are used in smartphones, laptops and cars, said it expects a weaker smartphone market in the short term as the industry is affected by the ongoing shortage of memory components, which is expected to drive phone and laptop prices higher. Still, CEO Cristiano Amon said the company is encouraged by consumer demand for high-end smartphones, and said Qualcomm is still on track to reach its long-term revenue goals. Fiscal first quarter sales grew 5% year-over-year to $12.25 billion while adjusted earnings per share grew 9 cents to $3.50, each better than analysts had expected, per Visible Alpha estimates. For the second quarter, Qualcomm said it expects $10.2 billion to $11 billion in sales along with adjusted EPS of $2.45 to $2.65, each range fully below what analysts were projecting. Qualcomm shares were down 10% recently.

Bitcoin Sinks Again, Pulling Crypto Stocks Down With It

Bitcoin is extending its recent skid, with investors experiencing volatility in the rest of the market less likely to take a gamble on an inherently volatile asset like bitcoin. The cryptocurrency was at $69,200 recently, down from an overnight high of around $73,500 and trading at its lowest level since November 2024. Bitcoin has lost about 45% of its value since hitting a record high of around $126,000 last October. Crypto-related stocks are also sliding this morning. Shares of Strategy (MSTR), the largest single corporate holder of bitcoin, were down 7%, while trading platforms Robinhood (HOOD) and Coinbase (COIN), and bitcoin miner MARA Holdings (MARA), each fell about 5%.