U.S. Stock Market Live: Nasdaq and S&P 500 Futures Rise Following Alibaba AI Investment Plans
Follow live updates on the U.S. stock market as Nasdaq and S&P 500 futures rise, Dow remains steady, and Alibaba announces AI investment plans.
U.S. stock futures opened higher on Wednesday as investors monitored developments in technology companies and upcoming economic reports. Nasdaq 100 futures (NQ=F) rose about 0.3%, while S&P 500 futures (ES=F) gained 0.2%. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures (YM=F) increased roughly 0.1%, reflecting its lower weighting in tech stocks.
Alibaba (BABA) surged over 9% in premarket trading after announcing that it will increase its artificial intelligence investment beyond the previously planned $50 billion. CEO Daniel Zhang highlighted that global AI spending is expected to reach $4 trillion, emphasizing the company’s efforts to maintain a competitive position in the rapidly expanding AI sector.
Micron Technology (MU) reported quarterly earnings above analysts’ expectations, supporting technology-focused futures. The results indicate ongoing demand for semiconductors, which are essential for AI applications and data-processing infrastructure.
Market movements were tempered as investors evaluated U.S. monetary policy. Federal Reserve officials have offered differing views on potential rate cuts amid early signs of a slowing labor market. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday that the central bank will proceed cautiously regarding further rate reductions and described stock valuations as high.
Traders are now focused on the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) inflation index, the Fed’s preferred inflation measure, which is scheduled for release on Friday. The report is expected to provide insight into whether inflation trends support market expectations for two additional rate cuts later this year.
Earlier in the day, investors are also watching reports on weekly mortgage applications and August home sales, which will provide additional information on housing market activity and broader economic conditions.
Follow the live updates throughout the day on ishookfinance.com to track how markets respond to these developments and additional company announcements.
Also Read: Tesla Stock Hits $440 in 2025 High After Musk’s $1B Buy & Analyst Upgrade
Key Moments
- Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.3% in early premarket trading.
- S&P 500 futures rise 0.2% as investors track tech stocks.
- Alibaba premarket shares increase 9% on AI spending announcement.
- Micron reports stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings.
-
24 Sep 2025 10:32 AM
Micron Shares Slip Despite Strong EarningsMicron Technology (MU) dropped more than 2% in early Wednesday trading, even after posting better-than-expected fourth-quarter revenue and earnings. The company’s guidance for the first quarter also came in above analyst estimates.
Micron provides high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips to Nvidia (NVDA) for AI systems, and its CEO highlighted the growing AI market, predicting trillions of dollars in AI investments in the coming years. Following the results, several analysts raised their price targets for Micron.
Despite the positive results, some analysts remain cautious. Hedgeye Risk Management, which holds a short position on Micron, noted that HBM revenue was slightly below expectations, coming in just under $2 billion for the quarter ending Aug. 28.
Micron is one of the main HBM suppliers for Nvidia, along with SK Hynix (000660.KS). Samsung (005930.KS)recently qualified to supply its HBM3E chips, increasing competition. Analysts warned that Micron could lose market share to Samsung next year, a key risk for the stock.
-
24 Sep 2025 09:59 AM
U.S. Stocks Open Higher on Alibaba AI Spending Announcement
U.S. stocks rose at Wednesday’s open following Alibaba’s announcement to increase AI investment, fueling gains in tech shares.
- Nasdaq Composite up 0.3%
- Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.3%
- S&P 500 up 0.2%
Investors are focusing on companies benefiting from AI, including chipmakers and tech giants, as Alibaba’s commitment to over $50 billion in AI projects signals continued spending in the sector.
-
24 Sep 2025 09:54 AM
Chinese Tech and Chip Stocks Rise After Alibaba AI Spending Plan
Shares of Chinese tech and semiconductor companies climbed on Wednesday after Alibaba (BABA) announced it will invest more than $50 billion in artificial intelligence over the next few years.
In Hong Kong, SMIC (0981.HK), the country’s biggest semiconductor manufacturer, rose 5%, while Hua Hong (1347.HK) added about 4%. In Shanghai, Cambricon (688256.SS), a competitor to Nvidia, increased 1.7%.
The gains were further supported by Ark Invest, which reopened two positions in Alibaba and added stakes in other Chinese tech stocks, including Baidu (BIDU), which climbed 3%, and Pony AI (PONY), which rose 2%.
-
24 Sep 2025 09:09 AM
Lithium Americas Stock Surges on Possible U.S. Government Stake
Lithium Americas (LAC) shares jumped nearly 70% in premarket trading Wednesday after news that the U.S. government may take up to a 10% ownership stake in the company.
The potential investment is tied to renegotiating a $2.26 billion Department of Energy loan for the Thacker Pass lithium project, a joint venture with General Motors (GM). When completed in 2028, Thacker Pass is expected to be the largest lithium mine in the Western Hemisphere, playing a major role in strengthening the U.S. lithium supply chain.
Lithium Americas said it is actively discussing plans with the DOE and GM to reach a mutually acceptable solution for the project.
-
24 Sep 2025 09:07 AM
European Defense Stocks Rise After Trump Comments on Ukraine
Shares of European defense companies went up on Wednesday after former President Trump said Ukraine could take back all its territory and called Russia a “paper tiger.”
In Germany, Rheinmetall (RHM.DE) rose 2%, while Hensoldt (HAG.DE) and Sweden’s SAAB (SAAB-B.ST) gained more than 4%. The UK’s BAE Systems (BA.L) increased about 1%, even though most other European indexes fell.
-
24 Sep 2025 09:05 AM
Premarket Movers: Lithium Americas, GM, and Micron
Some of the top stocks in premarket trading on Wednesday include:
- Lithium Americas (LAC) surged 64% after the U.S. government said it could take up to a 10% ownership stakein the company.
- General Motors (GM) climbed 3% following Citi’s decision to raise its price target from $61 to $75.
- Micron Technology (MU) increased around 1% after the company reported its fourth-quarter earnings.
