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Below are AI-generated insights on today's premarket moves, powered by MarketReader technology.

Tuesday, July 28

Noteworthy macro moves today: Nikkei 225 Index (Japan) -4.0%. Nasdaq 100 Index (US) -0.8%. Noteworthy US mega-cap moves today: Space Exploration Technologies Corp. Class A Common Stock (SPCX) -3.4%. Broadcom Inc (AVGO) -2.3%. Walmart Inc (WMT) +2.2%.

Global equity indices are generally lower today, with notable declines in the Nikkei 225 Index in Japan, which fell by approximately 4%. The mixed performance across U.S. markets includes a drop in the Nasdaq 100 Index by about 0.8%, while the Dow Jones remains higher amid ongoing volatility influenced by geopolitical developments and earnings reports.

In economic news, U.S. wholesale inventories rose by 0.3% month-over-month to $945.9 billion in June, exceeding expectations of a 0.2% gain and marking the fifth consecutive month of increases supported by durable goods stocks. This data reflects underlying economic strength but also highlights potential inventory buildup that could signal slower demand ahead.

Meanwhile, France's consumer confidence index improved to 86.0 in July from June's reading of 84, indicating growing optimism among consumers despite ongoing inflation concerns. Additionally, registered unemployment claims rose slightly to 3.122k thousand in June, suggesting a mixed labor market outlook as older job seekers continue to dominate new claims.

The market is closely watching upcoming Federal Reserve decisions on interest rates scheduled for tomorrow amid easing tensions related to U.S.-Iran relations and declining oil prices that have contributed to a more stable economic environment.

iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (EWY) [-6.0%]
The Kospi index has seen a significant decline, dropping as much as 10.9%, marking its lowest level since mid-April and triggering its ninth circuit breaker of 2026. This downturn is largely attributed to a retreat in technology stocks, with major firms like SK Hynix and Samsung falling approximately 12% and nearly 13%, respectively. The iShares MSCI South Korea ETF is likely impacted by these broader market pressures, as it is experiencing notable downward movement during pre-market hours. Reports indicate that Korean stocks are down around 11%, exacerbated by leverage unwinding. Additionally, the ETF's holdings, including SKM and LPL, have contributed negatively to its performance. Overall, the iShares MSCI South Korea ETF is trading lower since Monday's close, reflecting these adverse developments in the market.

VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) [-3.1%]
The VanEck Semiconductor ETF is experiencing a decline in pre-market trading, continuing a trend that has persisted for four consecutive sessions. The ETF fell significantly as investor concerns mounted over upcoming earnings from major technology companies, coinciding with a 10% drop in South Korea's Kospi. Notably, SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics saw declines exceeding 13%, contributing to the overall downturn in semiconductor stocks. The broader market is also facing pressures from worries about the sustainability of investments in AI infrastructure and increased competition from Chinese semiconductor firms. Additionally, the Nasdaq 100 Index has declined, reflecting a strong correlation with the VanEck Semiconductor ETF's performance.

iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ) [-2.2%]
The Japanese stock market is facing a significant downturn, with the Nikkei 225 index dropping over 4%, primarily due to declines in financial and technology stocks amid concerns regarding artificial intelligence investments. This negative sentiment is impacting the iShares MSCI Japan ETF, which is trading lower since Monday's close. Notable contributors to the ETF's performance include MUFG, MFG, and SMFG, each experiencing declines that have negatively affected the overall return. Earlier in the session, the ETF pulled back from a session high but remains well below its 20-day moving average, reflecting ongoing investor concerns about Japan's economic outlook.

GLW | -17.0% | -17.3B
Corning Inc | Information Technology
Corning Inc reported strong second-quarter results, with core EPS of $0.78 and revenue of $4.74 billion, both surpassing analyst expectations. However, the company’s third-quarter guidance fell short of consensus estimates, projecting core EPS between $0.85 and $0.89 and revenue of $4.9 to $5 billion, compared to the expected $4.99 billion. This disappointing outlook has led to a sharp decline in the stock price, which fell significantly in pre-market trading. Despite the positive Q2 performance, the market reacted negatively to the guidance, overshadowing the earnings beat. Corning's chairman emphasized ongoing growth initiatives and partnerships with Amazon and NVIDIA, targeting significant sales increases by 2030.

UL | +8.2% | +13.7B
Unilever PLC | Consumer Staples
Unilever PLC reported its first-half results today, revealing a profit attributable to shareholders of €3.316 billion, or €1.52 per share, down from €3.512 billion, or €1.60 per share, a year earlier. Despite this decline, turnover rose by 0.5% to €25.623 billion, driven by growth in the Personal Care and Beauty & Wellbeing segments. The company declared a quarterly dividend of €0.4664 per share, a 3% increase from last year, to be paid on September 18. Unilever also upgraded its full-year underlying sales growth guidance to a range of 4% to 6%, reflecting improved expectations for the second half of the year. These announcements have contributed to shares advancing sharply higher in pre-market trading.

AMKR | -10.7% | -1.4B
Amkor Technology Inc | Information Technology
Amkor Technology Inc's stock is under pressure following its Q3 revenue guidance, which is projected between $1.95 billion and $2.05 billion, below analyst expectations of $2.12 billion. Contributing factors include anticipated declines in the communications segment due to memory shortages and shifting customer production plans, along with the relocation of System-in-Package operations to Vietnam for efficiency improvements. This outlook has overshadowed the company's strong Q2 results, where net sales reached $1.90 billion, exceeding estimates. As a result, shares are trading sharply lower in pre-market hours, reflecting investor concerns over future performance amid these challenges.

TXT | -7.2% | -1.2B
Textron Inc | Industrials
Textron Inc. reported second-quarter earnings with net income rising to $248 million, or $1.42 per share, and adjusted earnings reaching $283 million, or $1.62 per share, both exceeding expectations. Revenue grew 3.0% to $3.827 billion, also surpassing forecasts. Despite these results, shares fell sharply in pre-market trading, likely due to concerns regarding the company's reiterated full-year earnings guidance of $5.39 to $5.59 and potential impacts from funding assumptions related to the MV-75 Cheyenne program. The stock is experiencing a significant decline, reflecting a stark contrast to its recent performance, as it has traded lower since Monday's close.

SANM | -7.7% | -0.8B
Sanmina Corp | Information Technology
JPMorgan analyst Manmohanpreet Singh lowered the price target on Sanmina Corp to $260 from $275 while maintaining a Neutral rating. This adjustment follows the company's strong Q3 earnings report, which showed net income of $117.1 million and adjusted earnings of $3.31 per share, significantly surpassing last year's figures. Despite these positive results, the lowered price target may have contributed to negative sentiment surrounding the stock this morning. Sanmina's shares are sharply lower in pre-market trading, reflecting this sentiment and positioning the stock near the lower end of its one-month trading range.

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