Pre-Bell | U.S. Futures Dip; Gold and Silver Stocks and ETFs Slide; Chinese EV Stocks Drop

01 Stock Market

As of Dec 31, U.S. stock index futures are softer, with broad benchmarks modestly lower ahead of the open. Dow futures are down 0.14%; S&P 500 futures are down 0.19%; and Nasdaq 100 futures are down 0.27%. Moves reflect mixed risk appetite into the final session, with tech leadership narrowing and commodities signaling rotation. While the pullback is modest, index futures suggest a cautious tone as traders position into year-end and evaluate cross-asset moves in metals and energy.

Notable Stock Movers: semiconductors mixed while precious‑metals ETFs slump. NVIDIA (NVDA) up 0.15% at $187.83; Intel (INTC) up 1.50% at $37.86; AMD (AMD) down 0.62% at $214.00; TSMC (TSM) up 0.80% at $301.97; Rocket Lab (RKLB) up 1.41% at $71.44. Metals-linked products are weak: iShares Silver Trust (SLV) down 5.09% at $65.47; ProShares Ultra Silver (AGQ) down 11.53% at $161.15; SPDR Gold Trust (GLD) down 0.72% at $396.00. These moves align with pre-market commodity price signals and a stronger dollar, dampening precious‑metals exposure.

Broad tech and EV names are mixed. Tesla (TSLA) down 0.03% at $454.30; Amazon (AMZN) down 0.20% at $232.06; Alphabet Class C (GOOG) down 0.33% at $313.50; Palantir (PLTR) down 0.41% at $180.10; QQQ down 0.25% at $617.89; SPY down 0.18% at $685.80. Chinese ADRs are softer in EVs: XPeng (XPEV) down 3.99% at $20.43; NIO (NIO) down 3.09% at $5.33; Li Auto (LI) down 3.07% at $16.74, while JD.com (JD) is nearly flat, up 0.03% at $28.72. Overall, semis show relative resilience versus metals and broad growth proxies.

02 Other Markets

• 10-year U.S. Treasury yield fell 0.43%, to 4.11%.

• U.S. Dollar Index rose 0.0428% to 98.27.

• WTI crude oil futures rose 0.60% to 58.30 USD/barrel; COMEX gold futures fell 1.36% to 4326.60 USD/ounce.

03 Key News

1. Intel announced initial shipments of a new AI accelerator to cloud partners, aiming to boost data‑center throughput. The rollout expands compute options for enterprise AI workloads and complements CPU upgrades. Management indicated the program will ramp in phases, targeting faster inference and cost efficiency for large deployments.

2. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) disclosed additional incentive approval tied to its U.S. fab expansion, unlocking planned capacity increases. The package supports advanced node timelines and procurement for tooling. The company signaled the funds will accelerate milestones at its overseas facilities and strengthen long‑term supply security.

3. Rocket Lab won a multi‑launch contract with a government customer, increasing its backlog and expanding mission cadence. The agreement spans multiple payloads for dedicated launches, offering clearer revenue visibility. The company highlighted schedule flexibility and vehicle configurations tailored to defense and scientific missions.

4. Palantir secured a new analytics contract extension with a defense agency, deepening its footprint in mission‑critical data operations. The deal expands deployment of its platforms across additional programs. Management emphasized continued standardization of data pipelines and interoperable tools for intelligence and logistics.

5. Amazon announced expanded robotics deployment and new fulfillment capacity to enhance delivery speed and efficiency. The initiative adds automated systems to selected sites while investing in worker safety tools. The company expects improved throughput and lower per‑unit costs across peak cycles.

6. Alphabet’s Google outlined technical changes to parts of its ad‑tech stack to comply with regulator guidance following recent enforcement actions. Updates include adjustments to data sharing controls and auction processes. The company said the measures address concerns while maintaining advertiser performance targets.

7. Micron received preliminary approval under the CHIPS Act framework for memory‑fab funding, supporting U.S. manufacturing plans. The indication advances a multi‑year capital program for next‑generation DRAM and NAND. Management noted the funding would anchor jobs and accelerate domestic supply of key components.

8. Tesla released an over‑the‑air software update adding enhancements to driver assistance and infotainment features. The update refines object detection and navigation behaviors and introduces interface improvements. The rollout occurs in stages, with vehicle performance and user experience gains highlighted.

9. Alibaba Cloud launched an upgraded large language model suite with revised enterprise pricing to broaden adoption. The release adds tooling for fine‑tuning, vector search, and API management. Clients are offered tiered packages aimed at lowering inference costs and integrating workloads across regions.

10. Ford announced investment to expand EV battery capacity at an existing facility, targeting better unit economics and supply stability. The program includes upgrades to manufacturing lines and partnerships for materials sourcing. The company expects higher output to support upcoming vehicle launches and reduce production bottlenecks.

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