Nasdaq futures fall 2% after disappointing earnings from Amazon and Intel and reignite doubts about AI spending
Amazon and Intel shares fall after weak results and projections, and fears about investments in artificial intelligence return to the center of the trading session.
BY THE X-TRADER NEWS NEWSROOM · REPORTING FROM INFOMONEY · 3 MIN
The Nasdaq futures fell around 2% on Friday (30), according to InfoMoney, on a day when the balance sheets of Amazon and Intel displeased the market. The movement shows how investors react when giants in the technology sector do not deliver what was expected.
At Amazon, shares fell 6% in the after-market after a third quarter with lower-than-expected profits and revenue, according to InfoMoney. Seu Dinheiro recorded the same results below expectations in 3Q26. The numbers also show negative free cash flow at US$42.4 billion, and the company maintained its capex forecast of US$220 billion for 2026.
At Intel, the problem was projection. According to InfoMoney, shares fell 21% in the after-market after a pessimistic forecast for the current quarter. Seu Dinheiro reported that shares fell by more than 20% after weak guidance for the next quarter. InfoMoney also pointed to signs of a slowdown in the PC market, a segment linked to the chipmaker's business.
The sequence of balance sheets weighed on the trading session. Before the numbers from Amazon and Intel, Alphabet's third quarter results, released on Thursday morning (29), had already put pressure on the New York stock exchanges. As a result, investors arrived on Friday more sensitive to any sign of weakness.
The most delicate point is what the balance sheets say about artificial intelligence. According to Seu Dinheiro, the results from Amazon and Intel have reignited fears about the pace of spending on AI and the possibility of a technology bubble. The central question is whether these billion-dollar investments will become profitable at the same speed as they are made.
For those who value fiscal discipline and return on invested capital, the issue is straightforward: very high expenses, negative cash flow and weak projections require proof that the money generates results. The data released so far does not answer this question completely.
What changes for the investor
For those who invest in the stock market, the episode reinforces the importance of looking beyond the growth headline. Cash flow, forecasts for the following quarter and the size of investments weigh as much as revenue. After-hours declines show that a weak forecast can affect stock prices within hours. This report does not recommend the purchase or sale of any asset, and the effect on the market will depend on upcoming disclosures and investor behavior.
Automatically translated from Portuguese.
