S&P 500 Futures Climb on Fed Rate Cut Optimism

The Morning Bull - US Market Morning Update Thursday, Oct, 16 2025

US stock futures are pointing higher ahead of the open, as optimism around an anticipated Federal Reserve rate cut this month pushes sentiment into positive territory. Investors are weighing ongoing US-China trade discussions and fresh signals of a cooling labor market. Attention is centered on how these crosscurrents could impact market stability and the outlook for economically sensitive stocks.

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Top Movers

• Sandisk (SNDK) surged 13.36%, leading gainers after positive sentiment boosted chipmakers.
• Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) jumped 9.40% as Oracle announced plans to deploy 50,000 AMD AI chips.
• First Solar (FSLR) rose 8.90% following a price target hike from Citi ahead of its quarterly report.

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Top Losers

• Sea (SE) dropped 9.56% as shares pulled back, despite a BofA upgrade and upbeat business momentum.
• Axon Enterprise (AXON) declined 8.47% with no major news announced.
• IonQ (IONQ) fell 6.63% with no major news announced.

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On The Radar

Big banks step into the earnings spotlight while key economic indicators shape market expectations in the days ahead.

• Major Regional Bank Earnings: U.S. Bancorp (USB), KeyCorp (KEY), and M&T Bank (MTB) kick off Q3 results Thursday morning, revealing credit trends and deposit flows across the sector.
• Interactive Brokers (IBKR): Q3 earnings after the bell Thursday will provide an update on trading activity and commission trends.
• Mortgage Market Data: A third straight weekly decline in US mortgage applications brings renewed focus on housing demand and interest rate sensitivity.
• CSX (CSX): Thursday after-hours earnings will highlight freight rail demand, a key signal for broader economic momentum.
• American Express (AXP): Friday morning’s Q3 results could offer a direct read on consumer spending patterns and travel trends.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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