U.S. futures rise as AI IPO hopes lift tech sentiment

Highlights

S&P 500 futures rose about 0.5% as AI optimism supported risk appetite.
Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.8%, outpacing Dow futures.
OpenAI and Anthropic have taken steps toward potential IPOs.
SpaceX may debut Friday in what could become a record-setting listing.

S&P 500 futures rose about 0.5%, while Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.8%, reflecting stronger demand for technology shares. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures added 0.3%, a smaller move that highlighted the index’s lighter exposure to the largest AI-linked names. The gains showed that appetite for tech risk is still alive, even as Wall Street weighs inflation pressure, Fed policy risks, and the next wave of major IPOs, Yahoo! Finance reports.

OpenAI and Anthropic sharpen IPO focus

The latest lift for sentiment came after OpenAI said it had confidentially filed paperwork for an initial public offering after Monday’s close. The move followed a similar step by Anthropic a week earlier, putting two of the most closely watched private AI companies on a possible path to Wall Street as soon as this fall.

For investors, these filings matter because public markets still offer limited direct exposure to the biggest AI developers. Most of the trade has been concentrated in companies supplying chips, cloud infrastructure, and software tools, including Nvidia and other large technology groups. A public listing by OpenAI or Anthropic would give investors a clearer way to price the next phase of the AI boom.

The IPO calendar may get another jolt Friday, when SpaceX could make its market debut. If the listing goes ahead at the expected scale, it could become one of the largest public offerings in history and add another high-profile growth story to a market already focused on technology.

Fed risks remain in the background

The market rebound followed a rough session on Friday, when worries over persistent inflation weighed on risk assets. One concern is the war with Iran, which has kept pressure on energy prices and added another complication for the Federal Reserve.

If price pressures stay firm, the Fed may have less room to cut rates and could even face renewed pressure to consider another hike this year.

A rally still tied to tech confidence

The split between Nasdaq and Dow futures shows where market conviction remains strongest. Investors are still willing to pay for AI-linked growth, while broader parts of the market are moving more cautiously.

That concentration cuts both ways. AI optimism can keep lifting the S&P 500 when sentiment is positive, but it also leaves the market exposed if valuations cool or IPO demand disappoints. For now, OpenAI, Anthropic, and SpaceX have given investors a fresh reason to stay focused on growth stocks, even with rates and inflation still hanging over the market.

As we previously reported, SpaceX loses early S&P 500 entry as rules stay unchanged.

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