Preview of US Stock Market | Three major stock index futures rise together, NVIDIA Corporation's earnings report hits after hours.

1. Before the US stock market opens on Wednesday, US stock index futures are all rising. As of the time of writing, Dow Jones futures are up 0.34%, S&P 500 index futures are up 0.53%, and Nasdaq futures are up 0.80%. 2. As of the time of writing, the German DAX index is up 1.48%, the UK FTSE 100 index is up 0.58%, the French CAC40 index is up 1.21%, and the European Stoxx 50 index is up 1.16%. 3. As of the time of writing, WTI crude oil is up 0.06% at $68.85 per barrel. Brent crude oil is down 0.01% at $72.38 per barrel. Market News Bank of America warns: S&P 500 showing signs of weakness in reaching new highs, Trump may intervene to support market. Bank of America Corp strategist Michael Hartnett stated that as European and Chinese stock markets perform well, investors are becoming increasingly "skeptical" of further upside in the S&P 500 index. He recommended international stocks over US stocks this year, anticipating volatility in the so-called "Big Tech" stocks that have been driving the US stock market higher since early 2023. Trump launches $5 million immigration "Golden Card," funds may be used to reduce deficit. Trump announced a plan to offer residency and a pathway to citizenship for foreign investors willing to invest $5 million. This new program, called the "Golden Card," is being launched within two weeks and does not require Congressional approval. The full scope and implementation of the program are still unclear. Trump considers imposing tariffs on copper, NY copper prices surge. After Trump signed an executive order directing the US Department of Commerce to review potential tariffs on copper, copper futures prices in the US surged. This is part of a series of measures aimed at reshaping global supply chains. Fed Vice Chairman Barr: Monetary policy and financial stability are inseparable. Federal Reserve Vice Chairman for Supervision Michael Barr stated that monetary policy and financial stability are closely linked. Barr emphasized the importance of strong regulation and the independence of the Federal Reserve. Gold at its peak? Experts sound the alarm, warning investors to be cautious. Despite a significant increase in the price of gold over the past year, experts advise caution and diversification in portfolios. Considering Warren Buffett's rule of investing - "Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful" - experts recommend a small percentage of gold in investment portfolios. Stock News Is a major shakeup coming for US stocks? NVIDIA Corporation's earnings report could open a "Pandora's Box," prompting traders to hedge risks. Last week, the ratio of open bullish options to bearish options on VIX reached its highest level since September 2023. Investors are increasing their bets on volatility ahead of NVIDIA's earnings report. Despite President Trump's return to the White House and his tariff remarks not causing panic among traders, analysts are warning about potential upcoming volatility.Loud. Options platform SpotGamma stated: "NVIDIA Corporation could potentially impact the entire stock market. There are many catalysts in the coming weeks that could cause volatility to spike, including tariffs and the looming deadline for the U.S. government shutdown."Lowe's Companies, Inc. (LOW.US) reported a revenue of 18.6 billion US dollars and a net profit of 1.1 billion US dollars in the fourth quarter. The comparable sales achieved a growth of 0.2%. The company's net profit for Q4 reached 1.1 billion US dollars, with diluted earnings per share (EPS) of 1.99 US dollars, an increase from 1.77 US dollars in the fourth quarter of 2023. As of January 31, 2025, Lowe's Companies, Inc. operates 1,748 stores with a total retail area of 195 million square feet. Looking ahead, Lowe's Companies, Inc. expects the earnings per share for the first quarter of 2026 to be between 12.15 US dollars and 12.40 US dollars, while analysts' expectations are 12.48 US dollars. For the first quarter of 2026, the company expects revenue to be between 83.5 billion US dollars and 84.5 billion US dollars, compared to analysts' expectations of 84.77 billion US dollars. Stellantis (STLA.US) performance declining sharply! Profit in 2024 plunged by 70% in both North America and Europe markets. European automotive giant Stellantis released its financial report on Wednesday, indicating a significant decline in profit in 2024, with little improvement expected for the company's profits this year. The car manufacturer is currently working hard to revive sluggish sales and find a new CEO. The multinational conglomerate, which owns well-known brands such as Jeep, Dodge, Fiat, Chrysler, and Peugeot, reported a full-year net profit of only 5.5 billion euros in 2024, a 70% drop from 18.6 billion euros in 2023, and lower than analysts' expectations of 6.4 billion euros. The adjusted operating profit margin was 5.5%, at the lower end of the company's guidance range, significantly lower than the 12.8% in the same period last year. Looking ahead, Stellantis predicts that the adjusted operating profit margin for 2025 will reach the mid-single digits. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV Sponsored ADR (BUD.US) reported a 10.1% increase in profit in Q4, exceeding expectations. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV Sponsored ADR's organic EBITDA for the fourth quarter increased by 10.1% year-on-year, exceeding analysts' average expectations of 7.95%. Its full-year growth of 8.2% also exceeded market expectations and the company's own guidance range. In the US market, Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV Sponsored ADR saw an increase in market share and revenue growth of 0.8%, benefiting from the strong sales performance of the Michelob Ultra and Busch Light brands. The company's non-alcoholic beer Michelob Ultra Zero, launched in January this year, has also received a good market response. However, due to continued weak consumption in the Chinese and Argentine markets, Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV Sponsored ADR's sales fell by 1.9% in the fourth quarter, exceeding analysts' expectations, and a full-year decline of 1.4%. Looking ahead, Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV Sponsored ADR predicts that by 2025, the company's organic EBITDA growth rate will remain between 4% and 8%. Gaotu Techedu, Inc. Sponsored ADR Class A (GOTU.US) reported a year-on-year increase of 82.5% in Q4 revenue, with a net loss of 136 million yuan. Gaotu Techedu, Inc. Sponsored ADR Class A reported a revenue of 1.389 billion yuan in Q4, an increase of 82.5% year-on-year; with a net loss of 136 million yuan, compared to a net loss of 120 million yuan in the same period last year. Cash income was 2.16 billion yuan, a 69.0% increase year-on-year. Net operating cash inflow was 784 million yuan, a 59.4% increase year-on-year. In terms of full-year performance, the company's revenue was 4.554 billion yuan, a 53.8% increase year-on-year; with a net loss of 1.049 billion yuan, compared to a net loss of 7.3 million yuan in the same period last year. Looking ahead, the company expects revenue for the first quarter of the 2025 fiscal year to be between 1.408 billion yuan and 1.428 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 48.7% to 50.8%. Apple Inc. (AAPL.US) faces scrutiny in court over its 27% "external linking tax": Is raising prices in spite of the wind or compliance? A senior executive from Apple Inc. stated in court that the key factor in the company's decision to charge a 27% fee to developers to encourage customers to pay outside of the App Store is the impact on Apple Inc.'s profits, even though this action may violate a court order. US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers is determining whether Apple Inc. has complied with her 2021 order, which requires Apple Inc. to provide more options for consumers. This lawsuit concludes a long-standing struggle over Epic Games Inc.'s accusations that Apple Inc. is attempting to monopolize the profitable mobile app market. In hearings that began last year, the judge expressed doubts several times about whether Apple Inc. is taking sufficient measures to promote competition. "Data center surplus" doesn't exist! Meta (META.US) is reportedly preparing for a giant $200 billion data center.According to The Information, citing sources familiar with the matter, Meta platform (Meta.US) is discussing building a new data center campus for its artificial intelligence project, with potential costs exceeding $20 billion. The report stated that Meta executives have informed data center developers that the company is considering building data centers in states such as Louisiana, Wyoming, or Texas, and senior leadership visited potential locations this month. Since the launch of ChatGPT by OpenAI in 2022, companies in various industries have been striving to incorporate artificial intelligence into their products and services, leading to a surge in investment in artificial intelligence. Meta did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Last month, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated that the company plans to invest $65 billion this year to expand its artificial intelligence infrastructure.Unafraid of the "cliff-like" decline in European sales, Tesla, Inc. (TSLA.US) acquires assets of a German bankrupt parts manufacturer. Despite facing "trouble" in Germany, the American car manufacturer Tesla, Inc. announced on Tuesday that it will acquire assets of the bankrupt German high-tech parts manufacturer Manz AG, including its factory, equipment, and over 300 employees in Reutlingen, Germany. Manz AG stated that its bankruptcy administrator signed an acquisition agreement with Tesla, Inc. subsidiary Tesla Automation GmbH on Monday. Both parties agreed not to disclose the acquisition price, and the completion of the transaction is subject to merger control laws. Manz AG added that about 100 employees will lose their jobs and will not be transferred to Tesla Automation GmbH. This deal marks an expansion of Tesla, Inc.'s business scope in Germany, as the company already operates a Gigafactory near Berlin. Important economic data and events forecast: 21:00 Beijing time: U.S. January building permits month-on-month revision (%). 23:00 Beijing time: U.S. EIA crude oil inventory change up to the week ending February 21 (thousand barrels), U.S. January seasonally adjusted new home sales annualized total (thousand households). 23:10 Beijing time: U.S. four-week corporate bond market distress index - overall market average up to February 21. 23:30 Beijing time: U.S. EIA natural gas inventory change up to the week ending February 21 (billion cubic feet). 21:30 Beijing time: 2027 FOMC voter, Richmond Fed President Barkin delivers a speech on "The Past and Present of Inflation". 01:00 the next day Beijing time: 2027 FOMC voter, Atlanta Fed President Bostic delivers a speech on economic prospects and the housing market. Earnings forecast: Thursday morning: NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA.US), Salesforce, Inc. (CRM.US), Synopsys, Inc. (SNPS.US), Snowflake (SNOW.US), eBay (EBAY.US), C3.ai (AI.US) Thursday pre-market: Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH.US), ZAI LAB (ZLAB.US), Daqo New Energy Corp Sponsored ADR (DQ.US)