U.S. equity futures advanced following fresh record closes on major benchmarks, as market participants weighed encouraging corporate guidance against geopolitical friction and currency swings. Apple’s upbeat sales outlook provided a notable lift to sentiment, while oil prices sustained weekly gains amid mounting tensions involving Iran. At the same time, a softer yen and a steady cadence of corporate earnings releases kept attention split between macroeconomic and company-specific forces. Most European markets were closed for Labor Day.
Apple outlook bolsters futures
Stocks continued their upward trajectory, with U.S. equity futures rising after major indices finished at new highs. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 posted gains, while many regional exchanges remained shuttered for holidays.
Apple drew particular investor interest after issuing a revenue forecast that exceeded expectations, even as the company cautioned about higher memory-chip costs and ongoing Mac supply constraints that it said would persist for "several months." Tokyo Electron also contributed to a positive tone by delivering a better-than-expected outlook for first-half operating income.
Apple signaled robust sales momentum for the quarter ahead and announced a $100 billion share repurchase program. The company expects fiscal third-quarter revenue to rise 14% to 17%, a range that sits well above Wall Street estimates of roughly 9.5%, driven by demand for the iPhone 17 and MacBook Neo.
For the fiscal second quarter, Apple reported revenue of $111.18 billion and earnings per share of $2.01, both ahead of consensus. iPhone revenue totaled $56.99 billion, a figure that fell slightly short of estimates because of supply limitations.
Earnings calendar and regional divergence
Corporate results remain in focus as earnings continue to roll in, with major names such as Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Estée Lauder and Colgate-Palmolive scheduled to report. Barclays strategists noted this week that "blended Q1 EPS growth is turning up," while observing that earnings surprises have been "much stronger in the US than Europe," highlighting a divergence in regional earnings momentum.
Yen weakens despite intervention signals
In currency markets, the Japanese yen weakened back toward the 157 level against the dollar despite recent intervention efforts by authorities in Tokyo. Officials have indicated they stand ready to act again, and they are monitoring crude oil markets where speculative moves have helped drive volatility in currency markets.
Tim Baker, a macro strategist at Deutsche Bank, said he remained unconvinced that the pair "will keep falling or even stay here for long," noting that the cross may appear high relative to rates yet low relative to a simple model that includes rates, equities and oil.
Oil holds gains amid Iran tensions
Oil prices maintained a second consecutive weekly advance as geopolitical tensions heightened. Donald Trump said the U.S. would maintain a naval blockade of Iranian ports, and senior military officials reportedly presented new options for potential action against Iran, amplifying the risk premium in energy markets.
Iran responded on Thursday by threatening to retaliate with "long and painful strikes" against U.S. positions if Washington resumes attacks, while reaffirming its claim over the Strait of Hormuz.
Other corporate developments
OpenAI sought to allay concerns about missing internal targets, with its CFO pointing to strong execution and describing demand as "a vertical wall of demand." Separately, S&P Dow Jones Indices launched a consultation that could speed the inclusion of recently public mega-cap companies into its benchmarks, a move that may affect index composition and tracking flows.
Market context
Investors are balancing upbeat corporate signals with macro and geopolitical uncertainty. Apple's guidance and buyback announcement have lent support to risk assets, while energy and foreign exchange markets are reacting to developments tied to Iran and Japanese currency intervention efforts. Continued earnings releases and potential index rule changes add further catalysts for market participants to monitor.
Summary
U.S. futures rose after record closes as Apple issued a stronger-than-expected revenue forecast and announced a $100 billion buyback. Oil prices held weekly gains amid Iran-related tensions, and the yen weakened toward the 157 level despite intervention signals. Earnings releases and index consultations provided additional focal points for markets.