Stock Futures Trade Mixed After Key Jobs Data

Stock futures are mixed this morning as investors unpack a slew of corporate earnings reports and a much stronger-than-expected jobs report. Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) are down triple digits after yesterday's surge, while S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) futures trade quietly on either side of breakeven. 

Nonfarm payrolls rose by 162,000 in August, well above estimates of 53,000, while unemployment remained stagnant at 4.1%, as expected. Treasury yields spiked in response. All three major indexes are currently on track for weekly gains.

Continue reading for more on today's market, including:

• 5 stocks that saw a surge in options activity yesterday. 
• A beginner's guide to VIX options trading. 
• Schaeffer's Premium Trader is on a perfect 9/9 heater this year. Click here for lifetime access!
• Plus, AMC CEO speaks out; Smith & Wesson's upbeat report; and LULU dragged by another grim quarter.

5 Things You Need to Know Today

1. The Cboe Option Exchange saw roughly 3.1 million call contracts and 1.4 million put contracts traded on Thursday. The single-session equity put/call ratio fell to 0.47, while the 21-day moving average remained at 0.59. 
2. AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc (NYSE:AMC) is up 4.9% premarket, after CEO Adam Aron criticized Robinhood Markets (HOOD) for its tokenized stocks, calling the practice "contemptible, outrageous, disgusting, detestable, inexcusable, vile" on X. AMC stock is up 62.8% since the start of the year. HOOD is down 1.9% after the news. 
3. Smith & Wesson Brands Inc (NASDAQ:SWBI) is 12% higher before the bell, after the firearms manufacturer posted better-than-expected fiscal first-quarter earnings, revenue, and net sales. So far in 2026 the equity has added 24.3%. 
4. Lululemon Athletica Inc (NASDAQ:LULU) is down 20.4% in electronic trading, after the retailer's disappointing current-quarter and full-year guidance. It was another rough quarter for the company, with second-quarter revenue missing estimates, though a tariff refund pushed earnings above expectations. Heading into today, LULU is already down 41.4% year to date.
5. See what's coming up after Labor Day Weekend. 

Asian Markets Enjoy Fresh Gains

Asian stocks enjoyed a breather from its recent multi-day downturn on the charts, enjoying a lift from rising U.S. markets and an outperforming tech sector. Privately held ByteDance made headlines after landing $29.6 billion in loans, aiding its shift into AI. For the session, Japan’s Nikkei added 1.3%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 1.7%, South Korea’s Kospi added 1.6%, and China’s Shanghai Composite was the only loser, slipping 0.3%.

European markets are struggling for direction today, with Germany’s DAX the lone healthy gainer, up 0.3% after industrial orders data showed a 2.5% month-on-month increase. This blew past the 0.5% estimate, while automaker Volkswagen also gave a boost after revealing a restricting plan that involves 50,000 job cuts. Elsewhere, London’s FTSE 100 is down 0.03% and France’s CAC 40 is off 0.1%.