S&P 500, Nasdaq Futures Higher as Big Tech Drives Optimism

Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) are pointed lower this morning, while the S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) are enjoying gains, extending yesterday's pop.Investors are feeling optimistic about Big Tech earnings, with results from Apple (AAPL), Meta Platforms (META), and Microsoft (MST) due out in the next few days.

The Federal Reserve's first interest rate decision of 2026 is also looming. President Donald Trump's tariff rhetoric is back in focus, after he said he would raise tariffs on lumber, autos, and pharmaceuticals to 25% over the country's delay to approve last summer's trade deal.

• Traders shouldn't ignore small-cap stocks, says V.P. of Research Todd Salamone.
• Mosaic stock looks headed for more losses.
• Plus, three blue-chip stocks gapping lower.

5 Things You Need to Know Today

1. The Cboe Options Exchange saw over 1.7 million call contracts and more than 1 million put contracts traded on Monday. The single-session equity put/call ratio dropped to 0.56, while the 21-day moving average remained at 0.58. 
2. UnitedHealth Group Inc (NYSE:UNH) stock is 15.8% lower premarket, after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services proposed to raise Medicare Advantage rates by 0.09%, far below expectations of a 4-6% increase. The company also said it expects a contraction in 2026 revenue. In the last six months, the health insurance stock has tacked on 24.6%.
3. Boeing Co (NYSE:BA) stock is down 1.2% before the bell, brushing off a fourth-quarter earnings and revenue win after a 57% quarterly sales jump. BAhas added over 41% in the last 12 months.
4. Salesforce Inc (NYSE:CRM) shares are up 2.9% in electronic trading, after the company nabbed a 10-year Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract with the U.S. government, worth $5.6 billion. The software stock still carries a 31.3% year-over-year deficit.
5. The Federal Reserve's interest rate decision is on tap this week.

European Markets Rally on India Trade Deal

Asian markets pushed higher Tuesday, brushing off fresh trade rhetoric from President Trump. Focus centered on South Korea after Trump said tariffs on the country could rise to 25%. South Korea’s Kospi reversed earlier losses to rally 2.7%, hitting fresh record highs. Elsewhere, Japan’s Nikkei climbed 0.9% thanks to strength in industrial and tech names, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 1.4%, and China’s Shanghai Composite finished 0.2% higher.

European stocks traded broadly higher, as investors welcomed news of a landmark trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and India, and looked ahead to a busy earnings slate. France’s CAC 40 was last seen up 0.5%, Germany’s DAX is inching up 0.02%, and London’s FTSE 100 is 0.6% higher.