News of the day for Nov. 19, 2024

U.S. stock futures are moving lower on Russian tensions; Walmart (WMT) shares are jumping in premarket trading after the retailer posted better-than-expected results and raised its fiscal 2025 outlook; Alphabet (GOOGL) shares are edging lower as the Justice Department reportedly is prepared to ask a federal judge to force the Google parent to sell its Chrome browser as part of an antitrust case settlement; Super Micro Computer (SMCI) shares are soaring after the company filed plans to meet its Nasdaq listing obligations; and investors are watching MicroStrategy (MSTR) after its shares hit a record high on news the software firm was adding more bitcoin to its portfolio.

1. US Stock Futures Point Lower on Tensions With Russia

Following a mostly positive start to the week for U.S. stocks, futures are lower Tuesday morning amid geopolitical tensions, as Russian president Vladimir Putin lowered the threshold for a nuclear strike. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures are 0.5% lower, S&P 500 futures are down by 0.3%, and Nasdaq futures are 0.2% lower. Crude oil futures are down about 0.6% and 10-year Treasury yields are edging lower, while bitcoin (BTCUSD) is 2% higher to trade above $92,000.

2. Walmart Stock Jumps on Sales, Profit Growth, Improved Outlook

Walmart (WMT) shares are up nearly 4% in premarket trading after it reported better third-quarter fiscal 2025 results than analysts expected and raised its guidance for 2025. The retail giant reported $169.59 billion in revenue, up from $160.80 billion a year ago and above the $167.72 billion analysts expected, according to Visible Alpha. Walmart's net income came in at $4.58 billion, or $0.57 per share, better than expectations of $4.25 billion and $0.53 per share, respectively. The retailer also lifted its fiscal 2025 projections, expecting sales to grow between a range of 4.8% to 5.1% year-over-year, up from a previous range of 3.75% to 4.75%.

3. DOJ Looking to Force Google to Sell Chrome, Reports Say

The U.S. Department of Justice is preparing to ask a federal judge to consider pushing Alphabet's (GOOGL) Google to divest its Chrome browser, according to reports, as the Biden administration's top antitrust officials crack down on the tech industry before leaving office. The Wall Street Journal reported that a court filing is due by the DOJ Wednesday, while Bloomberg reported that the department will ask judge Amit Mehta to require measures linked to Google's artificial intelligence (AI) and its Android smartphone operating system. Shares of Alphabet are little changed in premarket trading.