US-Börsen: US-Börsen starten uneinheitlich – KI‑Euphorie lässt nach

The enthusiasm following Anthropic's planned stock offering waned somewhat on Tuesday. The US stock markets opened mixed in trade on the day. The Dow Jones Index of blue-chip stocks opened almost unchanged at 52,277 points. The broader S&P 500 index held almost unchanged at 7,639 figures. The tech-heavy Nasdaq index gained around 0.5 percent to 26,026 points.

The Nasdaq 100, tracking the 100 largest non-financial companies by market capitalization, opened up about 0.5 percent at 29,051 figures. Investors are watching closely for upcoming corporate earnings, the upcoming Federal Reserve (Fed) interest rate decision and tensions in the Middle East. Fed policymakers are not expected to make any rate moves, but their remarks are closely followed by markets.

Daniela Hathorn, market analyst at capital.com, notes that markets reacted particularly sensitively to the possibility that higher energy prices and ongoing inflation could force the central banks to maintain their restrictive monetary policy. For equities, it is increasingly important whether higher returns come from economic resilience or inflation and fiscal concerns.

First, stronger company profits could bolster earnings. However, the latter could continue to put pressure on valuations, she says. Reporting season has begun in the United States. Today, US companies such as PayPal, Coca-Cola and United Parcel Service Inc. release their financial results. Positive earnings from firms like United Parcel Service Inc. and Coca-Cola Co. help brighten market sentiment.

UPS shares jumped about 1 percent at the market open. Coca-Cola shares remained unchanged. Earlier, both firms had raised their full-year profit forecasts. PayPal, the US payment service provider, also raised its full-year outlook following a surprisingly strong quarterly profit. Its share rose by around 0.3 percent. The figures of major US tech giants are also crucial for investors.

Microsoft, Alphabet and Amazon are set to release their quarterly reports this week. Analyst Daniela Hathorn says investors are increasingly looking to see if the massive investments in AI infrastructure translate into sustainable revenue growth and profitability. Anthropic is preparing for its stock offering. The AI developer filed its long-awaited IPO prospectus with the US securities regulator on Monday.

The company plans to list on the Nasdaq under the ticker "ANT". The IPO is expected by the end of the year, but no specific date or valuation target is mentioned. The prospectus suggests the valuation could be similar to that of SpaceX, which went public in June at a record $1.77 trillion. Anthropic declined to comment on the matter.

The IPO of Anthropic is a key sentiment test for the broader AI market. Oil prices dipped slightly again, as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East remain a major source of uncertainty. Brent oil, with a December delivery, fell slightly by about 1 percent to $114.67 per barrel. Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan held talks in Tehran on Monday with Iranian representatives to ease tensions in the Middle East.

The four countries agreed to continue talks, according to Iranian state media. However, the situation remains fragile given recent attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels on Saudi Arabia's key oil producer. Microsoft will offer around 60,000 layoffs as part of its efforts to cut costs and restructure its workforce for the AI era.

The shares remain unchanged for now. Apple's iPhone Duo, one of the biggest new products in years, is drawing complaints from customers who report that the foldable display already shows cracks after just a few hours or days of use. The shares, however, remain stable at the market open.