Big Tech Earnings, Fed Rate Decision Lift US Equity Futures Pre-Bell

08:59 AM EDT, 04/30/2026 (MT Newswires) -- US equity futures were higher pre-bell Thursday as traders absorbed the latest round of financial results, including those of big tech, amid the Federal Open Market Committee maintaining its target rate.

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were 0.6% higher, S&P 500 futures were up 0.5%, and Nasdaq futures were 0.7% higher.

Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL), Amazon (AMZN) , and Meta Platforms (META) all reported higher earnings and revenue for Q1, while Microsoft (MSFT) posted an increase in fiscal Q3 adjusted earnings and revenue. Apple (AAPL) is expected to publish its fiscal Q2 financial results after-market.

The Federal Open Market Committee maintained the target range for its federal funds rate at 3.50% to 3.75%, as expected, but the level of dissent was reportedly the highest since 1992, with four officials dissenting.

Oil prices were lower, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude down 0.7% at $109.72 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude 1.2% lower at $106.61 per barrel.

In other world markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 1.1% lower, Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 1.3% lower, and China's Shanghai Composite finished 0.1% higher. Meanwhile, the UK's FTSE 100 was up 1.4%, and Germany's DAX index was 0.9% higher in Europe's early afternoon session.

The March core personal consumption expenditures price index, the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, released at 8:30 am ET, gained 0.3%, lower than 0.4% in the prior month and meeting estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

Initial jobless claims declined to 189,000 in the week ended April 25 from an upwardly revised 215,000 level in the previous week, compared with expectations for a decrease to 212,000. Q1 GDP growth was recorded at a 2.0% annual rate, compared with expectations for 2.3%.

In equities, Alphabet and Amazon (AMZN) shares rose 7.3% and 3.4%, respectively, after the companies reported their Q1 financial results. Eli Lilly (LLY) stock was up 6.1% after the company posted Q1 non-GAAP earnings and revenue that surpassed analysts' consensus and boosted its full-year 2026 guidance.

On the losing side, Meta Platforms (META) shares were 8.4% lower, a day after the company said it raised its 2026 capital expenses outlook and reported a decline in its daily active users on a quarter-over-quarter basis. Stellantis (STLA) stock was down 2.6% after the company reported Q1 net revenue that fell short of analysts' estimates. Microsoft (MSFT) shares were down 0.9% despite the company posting a fiscal Q3 adjusted earnings and revenue beat.

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