AI STOCKS LIFT NASDAQ FUTURES AS MIDDLE EAST RISK CHECKS S&P

Developing story: Premarket levels, AI-stock moves, Nvidia expectations and oil-market pressure may change when U.S. trading opens.

Technology shares helped lift Nasdaq futures Monday even as Middle East tensions kept the broader S&P 500 on track for a muted open. Reuters reported that Nasdaq 100 futures gained about 0.33 percent in premarket trading, while S&P 500 futures were little changed and Dow futures fell.

The tech move followed Reuters reporting Friday that Anthropic, as it prepares for a possible initial public offering, is forecasting 2028 revenue of roughly $190 billion to $200 billion, according to people familiar with the company’s financials. The projection fueled renewed confidence in artificial intelligence-linked growth even after recent concerns about AI spending and valuation risk.

Large technology and chip stocks benefited. Reuters reported that Amazon rose 1.3 percent and Apple gained 0.4 percent in premarket trading, while Micron Technology rose 3 percent and Broadcom gained 1.1 percent. Nvidia edged higher after a report that it had scaled back support for a proposed OpenAI data center project in Ohio, easing worries about circular financing in the sector.

The rally shows how AI remains the dominant market theme for growth investors. Even when macroeconomic risk rises, investors are still willing to reward companies they believe are positioned to supply chips, cloud capacity, models or software for the AI buildout. The question is whether expected revenue can justify the capital spending behind the boom.

The broader market was more cautious. Reuters reported that investors were balancing softer U.S. inflation and consumer data against oil-price pressure from the Iran conflict. Lower rate expectations support equities, but higher energy prices can revive inflation and reduce household spending power.

Anthropic’s reported forecast is especially important because it is tied to IPO valuation. Private-company projections can influence public-market sentiment before formal filings appear. But they also raise questions about how much future growth investors are willing to price in before profits and infrastructure costs are fully visible.

Chip stocks have recently been pressured by concern that AI capital spending could exceed eventual returns. Monday’s gains suggest that recent results and forecasts have reduced immediate anxiety. The market is still waiting for Nvidia’s next earnings to test whether demand remains strong enough to sustain the sector’s momentum.

What is confirmed is that AI-linked stocks lifted Nasdaq futures while broader futures were restrained by Middle East and oil risk. What remains unresolved is whether the AI rebound can survive coming earnings, higher energy prices and renewed scrutiny of valuations tied to distant revenue forecasts.

Fact-check date: August 17, 2026. Article type: News. Sources: Reuters. Developing note: Premarket levels, AI-stock moves, Nvidia expectations and oil-market pressure may change when U.S. trading opens.