Nasdaq futures: what traders are watching before the U.S. session

Nasdaq futures were trading higher ahead of the U.S. session, with contracts for the Nasdaq 100 rising about 0.9% in overnight trade as investors prepared for a busy earnings week and fresh economic data.

Traders were watching premarket moves in Nasdaq futures after U.S. equity-index contracts rebounded from last week’s chip-sector selloff, an update Bloomberg reported on Oct. 18 showing S&P 500 futures up 0.5% and Nasdaq 100 futures up about 0.9% as markets awaited quarterly results.

A dimly lit trading desk with an anonymous monitor showing multiple unbranded market charts and a reflected city skyline through a window — quiet premarket scene

Market participants have been focused on technology earnings and semiconductor weakness that pressured the Nasdaq earlier this month, Reuters noted in its market roundup on Oct. 5 when the Nasdaq nevertheless notched a record high close amid gains in heavyweight tech names.

For traders, the immediate checklist driving Nasdaq futures included earnings from major tech companies, the latest oil price moves that Bloomberg said pushed energy-linked sectors, and any signals on interest-rate expectations that can swing growth-oriented Nasdaq names.

Anonymous hands on a laptop keyboard with small unbranded ticker windows visible and a notepad beside it — trader preparing premarket notes

Short-term liquidity and overnight flows in E-mini Nasdaq-100 futures (NQ) often amplify moves ahead of the cash open, and brokerage notes cited by Bloomberg and Reuters point to a market watching whether this week’s quarterly reports confirm the AI-driven earnings momentum that has supported the index.

Options and implied-volatility levels around Nasdaq futures were also on traders’ radars: implied-volatility typically rises into big earnings and falls if results calm expectations, a mechanism market strategists referenced in coverage of the week’s setup.

With third-quarter earnings kicking off soon, traders said they would parse early bank results and a slate of tech reports for signs of demand and margin trends that could steer Nasdaq futures through the rest of October.

Sources

Bloomberg — reported S&P 500 futures up 0.5% and Nasdaq 100 futures up about 0.9% as markets rebounded ahead of earnings.
Reuters — noted the Nasdaq’s recent record high close and context on tech and semiconductor pressures heading into earnings season.

About the author, Chris Martin

Chris Martin is a US economics and current affairs journalist covering the intersection of policy, markets, and everyday financial life. With a background in financial reporting and a sharp eye for the stories behind the numbers, Chris brings clarity to some of the most complex issues shaping the American economy today. At ECIKS.org, Chris covers breaking developments across domestic economic policy, business strategy, Wall Street movements, and political decisions that ripple through financial markets. His reporting blends rigorous data analysis with accessible storytelling making critical information useful for investors, entrepreneurs, and engaged citizens alike.