Stock Market Today: Dow Futures Steady Ahead of JOLTS Report; Nvidia Gains as U.S. Approves H200 Chip Sales to China
U.S. stock futures hold steady as investors await JOLTS data; Nvidia rises pre-market after Trump approves H200 chip exports to China under a revenue-sharing deal.
Nvidia shares rise pre-market after the U.S. authorizes H200 chip exports to China, boosting sentiment in semiconductor stocks ahead of the Fed’s key rate decision.
Futures in the U. S. equity market treaded with cautious optimism on Tuesday, as gigantic investor views winced in anticipation for the deferred October JOLTS announcement –- the last major labor data point before the Federal Reserve's next interest-rate decision.
Market participants closely watched their probabilities of a rate cut as the conclusion of the Fed's two-day policy meeting approaches on Wednesday. Anticipation puts the probability of a 25-basis-point cut at 89%, according to CME FedWatch; however, the probability of a more significant 2026 easing has weakened. This was nothing but a quick reaction to the recent dovish remarks made by Kevin Hassett, front-running for the next Fed chair."
Meanwhile, U.S. Treasury yields, which climbed to their highest level since September on Monday, eased slightly in early Tuesday trade. Global bond yields also retreated. Stock futures signaled a muted open, with both the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 hovering near the flatline.
In the corporate spotlight, Nvidia edged higher in pre-market trading after President Trump confirmed that the U.S. will allow the company to export its high-performance H200 AI chips to China, under a new arrangement that gives the government a 25% revenue share. The H200 is more powerful than the previously permitted H20 model, though it still falls short of Nvidia’s most advanced offerings.
Elsewhere in global markets, the Australian dollar firmed and local bond yields moved higher after the Reserve Bank of Australia signaled the possibility of another rate hike in 2026.
