US stock futures are attempting to rise — investor attention is focused on the outlook for the AI sector

On Monday, U.S. stock index futures rose as investors tried to buy into stocks following last week's significant decline, while also awaiting more clarity on the developments surrounding Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.

This is an important week for the market, as the new trading sessions are expected to reveal whether the post-election decline was overblown or reflected genuine economic and corporate risks. Analysts warn that despite a relatively calm start, several significant uncertainties are converging on the market at once.

Uncertainty surrounding Nvidia

Nvidia shares fell 4.5% before the market open. The reason was the company's internal investigation into whether Jensen Huang had been the target of a foreign intelligence operation. This information raised questions about the future of the company's leadership.

According to Danielle Hathorn, senior market analyst at Capital.com, Huang's central role in Nvidia's success and in the broader narrative of growing investment in the AI sector means that even speculation about a potential leadership change could affect investor sentiment.

At the same time, following the Democrats' success in last week's midterm elections, questions remain relevant about the sustainability of growth in the AI sector. An additional risk is the possibility of an interest rate hike in December, especially after October's stronger-than-expected jobs data.

Index futures rose

On Monday, as of 5:10 a.m. Eastern Time, Dow Jones futures were up 376 points, or 0.73%. S&P 500 futures rose 0.40%, while Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.21%.

According to Naeem Aslam, investment director at Zaye Capital Markets, bargain-hunting in stocks is supporting the market's recovery, though the relatively modest gains in Nasdaq futures compared to the Dow Jones suggest that investors remain selective in their purchases.

Chipmakers remain under pressure

The situation in the tech sector has not been uniform. Before the market open, shares of Intel, Marvell Technology and Qualcomm fell between 0.50% and 1.21%.

The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index ended last week with its largest weekly loss since March 2025.

According to Thomas Mathews, head of Asia-Pacific markets at Capital Economics, the correction in AI sector stocks still has the potential to continue. He noted that an additional risk would be any concrete sign that major tech companies are cutting capital expenditures.

Shares of Microsoft, Alphabet and Meta rose by less than 1% before the market open, indicating investor caution about taking on large positions.

Investors await corporate results

On Monday, financial reports are expected from investment firm KKR and energy company Constellation Energy. The latter is focused on the energy demand tied to growth in the AI sector.

Ahead of the earnings release, KKR shares rose 3.7%, while Constellation Energy's price remained nearly unchanged.

According to LSEG Data and Analytics, as of Thursday, of the 335 S&P 500 companies that had already reported earnings, 82.4% had exceeded analysts' expectations.

Thus, despite Monday's futures gains, investor sentiment continues to be influenced by doubts over AI sector valuations, the outlook for monetary policy, and the future investment plans of major tech companies.