Breaking News: S&P 500 Futures Surge as Microsoft and Meta Exceed Earnings Expectations – Live Updates Inside!

Traders got a bit of a jolt on the morning of March 17, 2025, as U.S. stock futures climbed after some major tech companies reported strong quarterly earnings. Futures linked to the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 219 points, or about 0.54%. The S&P 500 futures jumped 1.02%, while those for the Nasdaq 100 gained 1.43%.

Meta Platforms saw a surge of over 5% in after-hours trading, buoyed by better-than-expected revenue for the first quarter. Microsoft experienced a remarkable rise of nearly 7%, driven by excellent results in its fiscal third quarter, especially from its Azure cloud services.

In stark contrast, Tesla’s stock fell more than 3%. The drop followed news that its board is searching for a successor to Elon Musk. This kind of news often shakes investor confidence, as Musk is a central figure for the company.

On the previous day, both the S&P 500 and the Dow had experienced volatile trading, swinging from a decline of more than 2% to a comeback. Initially, traders reacted negatively to disappointing economic data, which showed a 0.3% contraction in GDP—a worrying indicator. This marked the first quarter of negative growth since the first quarter of 2022, much to the surprise of economists who had expected a 0.4% gain. However, as the day progressed, investors started buying again, pulling the indices back into positive territory.

April had been a challenging month for the markets, marked by sharp swings after news of new tariffs. At one point, the S&P 500 dipped significantly, falling into bear territory, which is defined as a drop of over 20% from its previous high. Even with some recovery, both the S&P 500 and the Dow ended the month down about 0.8% and 3.2%, respectively, while the Nasdaq Composite rose slightly by 0.9%.

Solita Marcelli, Chief Investment Officer at UBS Global Wealth Management, weighed in on the market’s volatility. She stated, “As we move past the sharpest policy swings, the outlook is looking more constructive. Investors should focus on strategies that manage and look through volatility.”

Looking ahead, investors are eager for more quarterly results from companies like CVS Health and McDonald’s, along with major players like Apple and Amazon. They are also keen to see weekly jobless claims and new data on the U.S. manufacturing sector, with a key jobs report due soon.

This period of uncertainty offers an interesting contrast to the markets of the past. In the late 1990s, for example, the tech boom saw similar volatility but also massive growth. Today, with more emphasis on economic data and corporate earnings, the focus remains on stability and growth. As we navigate these ups and downs, staying informed and adapting strategies will be key to successfully navigating the current landscape.

For the latest updates and more detailed insights, check out trusted sources like the Wall Street Journal, which frequently reports on market conditions and economic data.

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