Futures options traders work at the NYSE American (AMEX) of the New York Stock Exchange in New York City, USA, September 8, 2026. Brendan McDermid | ReutersUSA Stock futures were little changed early Tuesday following a rally fueled by stocks linked to artificial intelligence. S&P 500 futures were flat, while Nasdaq-100 futures fell 0.2%. In Asia, the Kospi gained 1.52%, while the small-cap Kosdaq added 0.35%. The Australian benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index rose 0.15%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index gained 0.36%, while mainland China’s CSI 300 rose 0.51%. Japan’s markets are closed for holidays. The move came after a jump in AI-related names lifted the major US averages. The S&P 500 rose 1.5% to record its best day since Aug. 4, while the Nasdaq Composite jumped 2.3% for its first record close since June. The Dow Industrials rose 366 points, or 0.7%. Tech sector heavyweights led the rally, with Meta Platforms rising more than 11%. Chipmakers Intel and Advanced Micro Devices rose 12% and about 10%, and AMD reached a market capitalization of $1 trillion. Nvidia gained 2% and fiber optics giant Corning advanced almost 6%. A drop in oil prices fueled stock market gains, with West Texas Intermediate crude futures falling 4.5% to $95.78 a barrel, while international Brent closed more than 3% lower at $100.34 a barrel. Even before the Federal Reserve’s decision to raise its key interest rate by a quarter point last week, Treasury yields have been trending higher as the economy faces rising debt, high oil prices and persistent inflation. Traders’ attention will be focused on this week’s summit in Washington, DC between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Artificial intelligence, the Iran war, tariffs and rare earth metals are expected to be among the key topics to be discussed at the meeting. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng ahead of Xi’s visit to the U.S. Heading into Tuesday, traders will be watching the Richmond Fed’s manufacturing survey, as well as speeches by New York Fed President John Williams and Richmond Fed President Tom Barkin. As for earnings, AutoZone is scheduled to report in the morning, followed by KB Home after the close.
