PomegraNasdaq 100 Futures Fall 1.8% as AI Spending Worries Return
Why are Nasdaq futures down today?
Nasdaq 100 futures (NQ) fell about 1.8% on Thursday, or over 500 points, as Tesla and Meta earnings left AI spending worries unresolved and Intel and Marvell dropped more than 5%.
Key numbers
| Nasdaq 100 futures | -1.93%-578.5 points at 04:56 ET; -1.72% in an earlier update [2] |
|---|---|
| S&P 500 futures | -1.1%-85.5 points at 04:56 ET |
| Intel premarket | -5.1%-4.4% in an earlier update [3] |
| Brent crude | $112+3% on Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia |
| Meta 2026 capex range | $135B-$145Blow end up from $130B |
| Nasdaq close, Oct 21 | +1.05%to 26,702.86 |
What happened
Nasdaq 100 futures (NQ) fell about 1.8% on Thursday, or over 500 points, as Tesla and Meta earnings left AI spending worries unresolved and Intel and Marvell dropped more than 5%. Futures are bets on where stocks will open, so this points to a weak start for tech shares. The slide undoes Wednesday's AI-led rally, when the Nasdaq rose 1.05% after SpaceX and Super Micro posted strong results. Meta raised the low end of its yearly spending plan for AI chips and data centers to $135 billion. Oil also climbed to about $112 a barrel.
Why it matters
Nasdaq 100 futures show how investors expect the 100 biggest Nasdaq companies, mostly tech firms, to trade when the market opens. A drop of this size would wipe out more than Wednesday's 1.05% gain for the Nasdaq. It shows investors still doubt that huge AI spending will pay off in higher profits. Funds that hold big tech and chip stocks can swing sharply on such doubts.
Who this affects
- MarketbearishMedium impact
- Tech-heavy index investors face a weaker open.
- CompanybearishMedium impact
- Intel and Marvell shareholders face premarket losses above 5%.
- CompetitorsbearishMedium impact
- Micron, Qualcomm and Nvidia holders also see declines.
- IndustrybearishMedium impact
- Chipmakers face doubts over whether AI spending pays off.
Intel vs Marvell, Micron, Qualcomm, Nvidia
How we got here
Nasdaq rises 1.05% as SpaceX and Super Micro results lift AI stocks
Meta raises low end of 2026 spending range to $135B and plans non-voting shares
Tesla falls premarket after cutting its yearly spending forecast
Nasdaq 100 futures fall about 1.8%; Intel and Marvell drop over 5%
What to watch
- Whether Nasdaq 100 futures losses hold once US markets open at 9:30 a.m. ET2026-10-22
- Brent crude near $112 after Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia raised supply fears2026-10-22
- Whether chip stocks keep Wednesday's gains as AI spending questions linger2026-10-23
Educational content only. Not investment advice.
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