5 Things to Know Before the Stock Market Opens

Nvidia’s (NVDA) shares are rising in premarket trading, partly reversing their three-day correction and buoying other AI-linked plays like Broadcom (AVGO) and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSM); Airbus shares are tumbling in Paris trading after the European plane maker slashed its delivery and earnings targets, while those of rival Boeing (BA) are lower on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on a report that its planned purchase of Spirit AeroSystems (SPR) values its key supplier at $35 per share.

The European Union (EU) is accusing Microsoft (MSFT) of breaching antitrust rules related to its bundling of its Teams collaboration tool with Office 365 and Microsoft 365; Novo Nordisk’s (NVO) Wegovy weight-loss treatment has been approved in China; and FedEx (FDX) is slated to report fourth-quarter results after the closing bell, hoping to end its recent trend of posting year-over-year revenue declines. Here’s what investors need to know today.

 

1. Nvidia Back Up After Entering Correction, Lifts Other AI Chip Stocks

Nvidia’s (NVDA) shares are rising 2.3% in premarket trading after the artificial intelligence (AI) chipmaker’s three-day correction weighed on other tech shares. Nvidia, which briefly became the world’s most valuable company last Tuesday, hit a high of $140.76 Thursday but closed Monday at $118.11. The chip designer has still rallied nearly 140% this year, however. Some of the stocks that were hit Monday are also pointing higher, with Broadcom (AVGO) up 1.2% after falling nearly 4% the prior session, while Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSM) is 1.4% higher.

 

2. Airbus Tumbles on Outlook Cut; Boeing Values Spirit AeroSystems at $35/Share

Airbus shares are tumbling about 12% in Paris trading after the European plane maker slashed its delivery and earnings targets, while those of rival Boeing (BA) are slipping 1.3% on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on a report that its planned purchase of Spirit AeroSystems (SPR) values its key supplier at $35 per share. Airbus said it would deliver around 770 commercial aircraft in 2024, down from an original goal of 800, citing “persistent specific supply chain issues,” and lowered its adjusted earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) target for the year to 5.5 billion euros ($5.9 billion) from its April 25 estimate of between EUR6.5 billion and EUR7 billion. Bloomberg reported on Boeing’s largely stock-based offer for Spirit AeroSystems, a change from its prior all-cash offer. The U.S. plane maker has been reviewing practices of key suppliers like Spirit, which it spun off in 2005, after the highly scrutinized January incident in which a door plug detached from a Boeing-made plane in midair, which sparked a slew of regulatory reviews.

 

3. Microsoft Faces Potential EU Fine for Bundling Teams With Office

The European Union (EU) on Tuesday accused Microsoft of breaching antitrust rules, leaving the tech giant exposed to a potential fine of up to 10% of its global annual revenue. “The European Commission has informed Microsoft of its preliminary view that Microsoft has breached EU antitrust rules by tying its communication and collaboration product Teams to its popular productivity applications included in its suites for businesses Office 365 and Microsoft 365,” it said. Microsoft moved to sell Teams separately in Europe last year to address antitrust concerns, and made the change worldwide recently. The announcement comes a day after the EU charged Apple (AAPL) with violating its new  Digital Markets Act (DMA). Microsoft shares are little changed in premarket trading.

 

4. Novo Nordisk Says Hit Weight-Loss Drug Wegovy Approved in China

Novo Nordisk (NVO) said Tuesday that its Wegovy weight-loss treatment has been approved in China, opening the door for the highly popular drug to be sold in the world’s second-largest economy. The drug will initially be available to “overweight and obese patients (initial BMI greater than or equal to 30kg/m2; or between 27kg/m2 and 30kg/m2, and have at least one weight-related comorbidity),” Novo Nordisk said in its Chinese-language press release, according to Google Translate, although it didn’t give a time frame for the drug’s launch in the country. Novo Nordisk’s American depositary receipts (ADRs) are rising about 2% in premarket trading.

 

5. FedEx to Post Q4 Results After the Bell, Seeks to End Revenue Slump Trend

FedEx (FDX) is slated to report fourth-quarter results after the closing bell, hoping to end its recent trend of posting year-over-year revenue declines. The company has been struggling as the surge in shipping demand during pandemic lockdowns eased. A year ago, FedEx reported $21.93 billion in revenue for the fourth quarter, down 10% from the prior year, and has registered year-over-year revenue declines every quarter since. FedEx shares are little changed about 90 minutes before the opening bell.