Dow futures are experiencing a decline, as attention turns to the forthcoming nonfarm payrolls data this week alongside heightened geopolitical tensions globally. Oil stabilizes in the wake of a report indicating that the U.S. has been pursuing control over Venezuelan oil for a number of years. forecasts a significant increase in fourth-quarter income, while dips below $91,000.

Dow futures indicated a downward trend on Thursday, as investors prepared for forthcoming job market data later in the week and evaluated the persistent geopolitical tensions. As of 03:05, the Dow futures contract experienced a decline of 116 points, translating to a decrease of 0.2%. Similarly, S&P futures saw a reduction of 13 points, also reflecting a 0.2% drop, while Nasdaq 100 futures fell by 81 points, corresponding to a 0.3% decrease. The primary indices in the market exhibited a mixed performance in the previous session. The Nasdaq Composite experienced an increase, supported by robust performances from prominent technology companies such as Google’s parent company, while downward pressure from sectors like financials and energy negatively impacted the benchmark and blue-chip indices. The news cycle was dominated by a series of policy announcements from U.S. President Donald Trump, which included a strategy aimed at restricting institutional investors from acquiring single-family homes in an effort to address the ongoing housing shortage across the nation. Trump also stated his intention to prohibit defense contractors from distributing dividends or engaging in stock buybacks, while insisting that the U.S. increase defense spending by more than 50% to reach $1.5 trillion by 2027. It remains uncertain whether Trump can implement these mandates without Congressional approval. “The announcements regarding housing and defense dividends and buybacks have negatively impacted investor sentiment, representing yet another instance of the Trump 2.0 administration’s unprecedented intervention in the economy,” analysts stated in a note.

Oil prices experienced an uptick, although they subsequently reduced some of their intraday gains in light of a report indicating that the U.S. intends to exert long-term control over Venezuelan oil. Prices experienced a reprieve following a decline over two consecutive sessions, as apprehensions regarding a global supply surplus are heightened by the possibility of increased production in Venezuela. Earlier this week, Trump stated that Venezuela will transfer between 30 million and 50 million barrels of oil to Washington, valued at up to $3 billion, shortly after U.S. forces apprehended Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Data indicating a larger-than-anticipated weekly reduction in U.S. oil inventories contributed to the rise in crude prices, while ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine maintained a degree of risk premium in the market. Brent oil futures experienced an increase of 0.2%, reaching $60.07 per barrel, whereas West Texas Intermediate crude futures also rose by 0.2%, settling at $56.03 per barrel as of 23:01. Both benchmarks experienced a decline of over 1% for two consecutive sessions.

Samsung Electronics projected a fourth-quarter profit that exceeded expectations on Thursday, as the leading manufacturer of memory chips capitalized on rising prices stemming from an escalating supply shortage driven by artificial intelligence advancements. Samsung has forecasted an operating profit of 20 trillion won for the October-December quarter, surpassing estimates of 18 trillion won. The figure exceeded three times the 6.49 trillion won profit recorded during the corresponding period in 2024. Sales are projected to have increased to approximately 93 trillion won in the fourth quarter, up from 75.79 trillion won in the same period last year. The company’s robust earnings forecast was primarily influenced by the swift rise in memory chip prices, as artificial intelligence companies procured a significant portion of the chipmaker’s inventory, resulting in a supply shortage.

Chinese semiconductor shares experienced an uptick following a report indicating that Beijing has directed certain domestic technology firms to halt orders for Nvidia’s H200 AI chips. Chipmakers reacted following a report indicating that Beijing has directed certain domestic technology firms to halt orders for Nvidia’s H200. Beijing is reportedly evaluating the potential for access to the H200 and the conditions under which this might occur, illustrating its dual objectives of enhancing domestic chip development while mitigating dependence on foreign technology. Several domestic AI and chip stocks experienced gains in early trading, as investors adjusted their positions in anticipation of potential policy shifts that may favor local semiconductor manufacturers. Shares listed in Hong Kong increased by more than 0.3%, while another segment surged over 2.6%. Shares of Cambricon Technologies, listed in Shanghai, experienced an increase exceeding 3.3%.

Bitcoin experienced a decline during European trading hours, continuing to reverse its early year recovery as investor risk appetite was limited by increased geopolitical tensions in Latin America and Asia. Anticipation surrounding the forthcoming U.S. nonfarm payrolls data, scheduled for release on Friday, has also restrained significant investments in the cryptocurrency markets. Market participants are actively pursuing clearer signals regarding the American labor market, as these insights may influence expectations surrounding Federal Reserve interest rate policy. The situation remains unclear regarding crypto treasury companies, particularly concerning the leading corporate holder Strategy Inc. Currently facing a nearly 50% loss in 2025, Strategy found some solace in MSCI’s announcement earlier this week that it will not move forward with a proposal to exclude digital asset treasury companies from its indices. Bitcoin experienced a decline of 2.4%, reaching a value of $90,449.9 by 03:35.