Pre-Bell | U.S. Index Futures Dip; Tesla and Nvidia Fall 1%; Gold and Silver Stocks Drop; Alibaba Sinks 3%; DigitalBridge Soars 30%

01 Stock Market
As of Dec 29, U.S. stock index futures are mixed to lower, signaling a cautious open. Dow futures fell 0.13% at 48,936.00, S&P 500 futures fell 0.28% at 6,959.50, and Nasdaq 100 futures fell 0.45% at 25,747.75. The drift in index futures reflects profit-taking into year-end and sector rotation across technology and commodities. Spot benchmarks showed mild declines intraday, but the focus remains on futures and individual movers shaping pre-market positioning.

Notable Stock Movers: Mega-cap tech and EV names are modestly lower, while select infrastructure plays rise. Tesla (TSLA) fell 1.08%, quoted as “TSLA down 1.08% at $470.08.” NVIDIA (NVDA) fell 1.22%, “NVDA down 1.22% at $188.21.” Micron (MU) fell 1.27%, “MU down 1.27% at $281.06.” Alphabet (GOOG) fell 0.56%, “GOOG down 0.56% at $313.19.” Among AI and chip levered ETFs, SOXL fell 2.40%, “SOXL down 2.40% at $43.15,” while inverse tech fund SQQQ rose 1.36%, “SQQQ up 1.36% at $66.22.”

Silver-linked products see notable weakness, while data infrastructure rallies. iShares Silver Trust (SLV) fell 4.53%, “SLV down 4.53% at $67.90,” and ProShares Ultra Silver (AGQ) fell 10.63%, “AGQ down 10.63% at $178.50.” Chinese ADRs were broadly softer: Alibaba (BABA) fell 3.06%, “BABA down 3.06% at $147.58,” and XPeng (XPEV) fell 2.21%, “XPEV down 2.21% at $20.32.” Notably, DigitalBridge (DBRG) surged 30.17%, “DBRG up 29.17% at $17.98,” highlighting investor demand for digital infrastructure exposure.

02 Other Markets

• 10-year U.S. Treasury yield fell 0.34%, to 4.12%.

• U.S. Dollar Index rose 0.11% to 98.15.

• WTI crude oil futures rose 2.54% to 58.18 USD/barrel; COMEX gold futures fell 1.56% to 4,481.60 USD/ounce.

03 Key News
Apple adjusted Apple Watch features to comply with an import ruling, enabling continued U.S. sales. The company implemented software and distribution changes related to blood oxygen functionality amid an ongoing patent dispute. The update allows watches to remain available, and regulatory proceedings continue to shape product configurations and availability.

Masimo pursued legal action to restrict imports of certain Apple Watch models amid a patent dispute. The medical technology firm sought enforcement that could limit watch features tied to pulse oximetry. The action underscores rising IP risks for consumer wearables and may influence product design and shipment flows.

Micron announced capacity and investment plans aligned with AI memory demand in recent days. The company outlined scaling for high-bandwidth memory to support accelerated computing. This positions Micron to capture AI-related spend and may affect supply dynamics and pricing in memory markets.

Alphabet’s Google disclosed new AI infrastructure deployments to improve model performance. The upgrades target efficiency and throughput across data centers supporting generative applications. The initiative reflects ongoing investment in AI platforms and could boost cloud competitiveness.

DigitalBridge announced a new digital infrastructure investment initiative focused on AI data centers. The firm highlighted plans to expand capacity and partnerships across edge and hyperscale facilities. The strategy aims to accelerate tenant onboarding for compute-intensive workloads, supporting revenue growth.

XPeng introduced an updated driver-assistance feature set to broaden software monetization. Enhancements are designed to expand advanced navigation and autonomous capabilities. The move seeks to increase attach rates and subscription revenue across the EV portfolio.

Alibaba disclosed efforts to streamline e-commerce operations and enhance logistics efficiency. The program emphasizes fulfillment optimization and platform integration to improve seller and buyer experiences. Operational changes intend to lift margins and reinforce competitive positioning.

AMD unveiled an expanded roadmap for data center accelerators and software stack improvements. The plan focuses on performance, developer tools, and ecosystem support for AI training and inference. This expansion aims to challenge incumbents and deepen enterprise adoption.

Intel announced updates to foundry services targeting advanced nodes for external customers. The offering includes design enablement and capacity commitments for leading-edge process technologies. Progress on foundry strategy is central to regaining share and diversifying revenue.

Palantir signed a new contract to extend AI-enabled decision platforms for a public-sector client. The agreement broadens deployment of data integration and model-driven operations. It reinforces Palantir’s footprint in government analytics and may provide a catalyst for commercial wins.

Sources: Reuters, Dow Jones and Tiger Newspress, public market data
Disclaimer: For informational purposes only; not investment advice.