Pre-Bell | U.S. Futures Rise; Hims Surges 9%; Microsoft Gains 2%; Quantum Computing and Nuclear Energy Stocks Jump Again

01 Stock Market

As of Apr 16, U.S. stock index futures performed as follows: Dow futures edged up 0.19%, S&P 500 futures gained 0.13%, and Nasdaq-100 futures advanced 0.20%, hinting at a cautiously upbeat Wall Street open as traders digest a burst of corporate news and geopolitical headlines.

Notable Stock Movers: Aehr Test Systems (AEHR) up 19.4% after landing a $41 million AI chip order; Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) fell 1.33% at $370.10 despite record results; NVIDIA (NVDA) fell 0.49% at $197.89 as its rally pauses; Microsoft (MSFT) up 1.70% at $418.20 on AI momentum; Hims & Hers Health (HIMS) up 9.26% at $26.54 on expanded peptide market access.

Sector flows show continued enthusiasm for next-generation themes: nuclear-energy developers such as NuScale Power (SMR) up 10.76% at $12.97 and Oklo (OKLO) up 7.61% at $68.17 gained on policy support, while Chinese ADRs including Alibaba (BABA) up 3.26% at $137.63 and Baidu (BIDU) up 4.35% at $126.20 benefited from stronger domestic growth data; software names Oracle (ORCL), Datadog (DDOG) and Snowflake (SNOW) also trade higher pre-bell amid renewed AI optimism.

02 Other Markets

• 10-year U.S. Treasury yield fell 0.17%, to 4.27%.

• U.S. Dollar Index rose 0.11% to 98.19.

• WTI crude oil futures rose 0.43% to 88.51 USD/barrel; COMEX gold futures rose 0.33% to 4839.60 USD/ounce.

03 Key News

1. Aehr Test Systems clinched a record $41 million production order for high-power AI processor burn-in systems. The booking, placed by a leading hyperscale customer, pushes the company’s second-half backlog above $92 million and validates its Sonoma platform for large-scale AI chip testing. Management expects shipments to begin in its next fiscal year and foresees further demand from additional AI and power-semiconductor clients.

2. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing reported record first-quarter profit and lifted its longer-term revenue outlook. Net income surged 58% to roughly $18 billion, comfortably topping analyst estimates, as robust AI chip demand offset geopolitical worries. The foundry said capacity utilisation remains high and signalled sustained investment in advanced nodes.

3. Bank of New York Mellon delivered a 34% jump in quarterly profit on rising fee revenue and net interest income. Assets under custody swelled to $59.4 trillion, while net interest income climbed 18% thanks to higher reinvestment yields. Management highlighted strong client activity amid volatile markets and ongoing cost-efficiency initiatives.

4. PepsiCo exceeded consensus revenue forecasts and reiterated full-year guidance after U.S. snack price adjustments lifted volumes. First-quarter sales rose 8.5% to $19.44 billion as value-priced Lay’s, Doritos and Cheetos regained shelf space. The company also unveiled a revamped Gatorade lineup featuring lower-sugar formulas and a new electrolyte blend.

5. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services eased regulations on 12 therapeutic peptides, widening market access for telehealth pharmacies. The policy shift expands prescription flexibility, boosting growth prospects for platforms such as Hims & Hers Health, whose shares spiked in anticipation of broader product offerings and accelerated revenue.

6. NASA selected Voyager Space for a private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, advancing commercial spaceflight opportunities. The contract marks the company’s first crewed flight agreement and underscores growing governmental reliance on private operators. Voyager plans to leverage the mission to demonstrate its Starlab commercial station technologies.

7. Madison Air Solutions raised $2.2 billion in the largest U.S. IPO of the year, valuing the HVAC specialist at about $13 billion. Proceeds will fund expansion into data-center cooling and other high-growth infrastructure markets aligned with escalating AI-related power demands. The shares are slated to begin trading on the NYSE under the symbol MAIR.

8. Aerospace components maker Arxis secured $1.13 billion in an upsized Nasdaq offering priced at the top of its range. Backed by private-equity firm Arcline, Arxis manufactures seals, gaskets and specialty materials for defense, medical and industrial customers. The capital raise supports continued M&A and capacity expansion as global defense spending accelerates.

9. Ford Motor announced the departure of senior executive Doug Field, its chief electric vehicle, digital and design officer. Field’s exit after a five-year tenure comes as the automaker recalibrates its EV strategy amid capital-intensive platform rollouts. Analysts will watch for succession plans and any shifts in product timelines.

10. Organon attracted takeover interest from Sun Pharmaceutical and Grünenthal, reviving consolidation talk in women’s health care. Sources said preliminary evaluations are under way, with Organon’s portfolio of contraceptives and fertility treatments viewed as strategically complementary. The reports lifted Organon shares as investors anticipate a potential premium offer.

Sources: Reuters, Dow Jones, Tiger Newspress, public market data

Disclaimer: For informational purposes only; not investment advice.