Nasdaq and S&P 500 Futures Plunge Over 1%
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: May 15 2026
0mins
Source: Newsfilter
- Inflation Concerns Rise: The yield on 10-year U.S. Treasury notes surged to 4.54%, the highest since June 2025, driven by inflation expectations stemming from the Middle East conflict, which could hinder economic growth as investors brace for faster interest rate hikes.
- Increased Rate Hike Odds: The probability of a 25 basis point rate hike by the Federal Reserve in December has more than doubled to about 40% over the past week, according to CME Group's Fedwatch tool, indicating heightened market anxiety regarding monetary policy that may negatively impact stock prices.
- Rising Energy Prices: Brent crude prices rose nearly 3% to $109 per barrel as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz heightened concerns over global energy supplies, potentially fueling inflation expectations and increasing borrowing costs, which could dampen investor sentiment in tech stocks.
- Market Pullback Signs: Following record-setting sessions, Nasdaq and S&P 500 futures fell by 1.56% and 1.07%, respectively, reflecting market concerns over persistent inflation and rising interest rates, despite previous optimism driven by enthusiasm around artificial intelligence.
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Analyst Views on AMAT
Wall Street analysts forecast AMAT stock price to fall
22 Analyst Rating
18 Buy
4 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 449.680
Low
190.00
Averages
288.05
High
425.00
Current: 449.680
Low
190.00
Averages
288.05
High
425.00
About AMAT
Applied Materials, Inc. is a materials engineering solution company. The Company provides equipment, services and software to the semiconductor, display, and related industries. It operates through two segments: Semiconductor Systems and Applied Global Services (AGS). The Semiconductor Systems segment includes semiconductor capital equipment to enable materials engineering steps including etch, rapid thermal processing, deposition, chemical mechanical planarization, metrology and inspection, wafer packaging, and ion implantation. The AGS segment provides integrated solutions to optimize equipment and fab performance and productivity, including services, spares and factory automation software for semiconductor and other products. Its products include personal computing devices, mobile phones, artificial intelligence (AI) and data center servers, automobiles, connected devices, industrial applications and consumer electronics.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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See More
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- Costco Membership Renewal Rates Up: Costco's latest earnings report showed improved membership renewal rates in the U.S. and Canada; although market reaction was muted, record performance in its gas business is likely to enhance membership loyalty and solidify its market position.
- Anthropic Surpasses OpenAI: Anthropic raised $65 billion at a $965 billion valuation, becoming the most valuable AI startup, a significant increase from $380 billion in February, showcasing explosive revenue growth and wealth creation potential in the AI sector.
- Cybersecurity Market Volatility: Okta beat expectations in its earnings report, with shares rising over 8%, while Zscaler's stock fell due to disappointing guidance, highlighting a divergence in the cybersecurity industry that affected the performance of other companies, including CrowdStrike.
See More
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- Lumentum Performance Surge: In the first nine months of fiscal 2026, Lumentum's revenue soared 72% year-over-year to over $2 billion, with current quarter revenue expected to exceed $985 million, indicating sustained AI-driven demand that strengthens its leadership in the photonics market.
- Significant Profitability Boost: Lumentum's earnings per share increased 4.5 times year-over-year to $5.27 in the first nine months of fiscal 2026, with robust revenue growth poised to enhance profitability, justifying its high 56 times P/E ratio as investors consider entry points.
- Applied Materials Growth Acceleration: Applied Materials reported an 11% year-over-year revenue increase to $7.91 billion in Q2 of fiscal 2026, with current quarter revenue projected to reach $8.95 billion, reflecting a strong 23% year-over-year growth driven by robust AI chip demand.
- Optimistic Market Outlook: Applied Materials anticipates over 30% growth in its semiconductor equipment business in 2026, bolstered by partnerships with industry leaders to develop AI-focused equipment, leading analysts to significantly raise earnings expectations and reflect strong market confidence.
See More
Lumentum and Applied Materials Show Strong Growth Amid AI Demand
- Lumentum Revenue Surge: Lumentum's revenue increased by 72% year-over-year in the first nine months of fiscal 2026, surpassing $2 billion, with current quarter guidance suggesting revenue could double to $985 million from $480.7 million last year, indicating robust demand driven by AI infrastructure.
- Profitability Enhancement: Lumentum's earnings per share soared 4.5 times year-over-year to $5.27 in the first nine months of fiscal 2026, reflecting high margins from its data center products and signaling sustained profitability growth ahead.
- Applied Materials Performance Recovery: Applied Materials reported an 11% year-over-year revenue increase in Q2 2026, reaching $7.91 billion, with earnings per share rising 20% to $2.86, showcasing a strong rebound in the semiconductor equipment market.
- Future Growth Outlook: The company anticipates $8.95 billion in revenue for the current quarter, a 23% increase, with earnings expected to grow by 36%, and forecasts over 30% growth in its semiconductor equipment business in 2026, solidifying its market position.
See More
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- Industry Growth Catalyst: Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) has surged 75% year-to-date, reflecting the equipment shortages triggered by AI data center buildouts, which are expected to drive sustained growth in semiconductor capital equipment spending and further solidify its market leadership.
- Onto Innovation's Potential: Onto Innovation (NYSE:ONTO) achieved a record revenue of $266.87 million in Q4 2025 and signed a volume purchase agreement worth over $240 million with a leading HBM manufacturer, which is anticipated to boost its market share in the semiconductor equipment sector.
- Lam Research's Performance: Lam Research (NASDAQ:LRCX) reported $5.84 billion in revenue for Q1 2023, a 23.76% year-over-year increase, with guidance for the June quarter projecting $6.60 billion, indicating that AI-driven demand is reshaping the semiconductor industry.
- ASML's Market Position: ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) delivered $10.34 billion in revenue in Q1 2026, with management raising the full-year outlook to €36 billion to €40 billion, showcasing strong expectations for chip demand and reinforcing its critical role in the global semiconductor equipment market.
See More
Costco Membership Growth Weakens, Stock Drops
- Costco Stock Decline: Costco's shares fell 4.5% on Friday due to weaker-than-expected membership growth in its quarterly report, leading to investor concerns about the company's growth trajectory, with Jim noting management's failure to reassure the market.
- Dell Stock Surge: Dell Technologies' stock surged 30% on Friday, marking its best single-day performance ever, driven by strong demand for AI servers and data center infrastructure, which also bolstered Jim's bullish outlook on Nvidia.
- Cybersecurity Earnings Outlook: CrowdStrike and Palo Alto Networks are set to report earnings next week, with Jim highlighting that both stocks have rallied significantly during the quarter, although they face challenges heading into earnings, he remains optimistic about their long-term prospects.
- Rapid Fire Recap: At the end of the video, Jim covered stocks like Applied Materials, Honeywell, and FedEx, emphasizing their market performance and showcasing his focus on a diversified investment portfolio.
See More
U.S. Stock Indices Reach All-Time Highs Amid Positive Market Sentiment
- Market Optimism: The U.S. stock indices reached all-time highs today, with the S&P 500 up 0.41%, the Dow Jones up 0.43%, and the Nasdaq 100 up 0.66%, driven by improved prospects for a peace deal in the Middle East, reflecting investor confidence in economic recovery.
- Tech Stock Surge: Dell Technologies surged over 30% after providing a sales outlook that exceeded analyst expectations, highlighting relentless demand for AI infrastructure upgrades, which further boosted the entire tech sector's attractiveness to investors.
- Crude Oil Price Decline: Crude oil prices fell more than 1% to a five-week low due to a preliminary agreement between the U.S. and Iran, easing inflation concerns and fostering optimism about a potential recovery in oil supply, which could benefit related industries.
- Strong Corporate Earnings: As of now, 84% of S&P 500 companies have beaten Q1 earnings estimates, with overall earnings projected to rise 12% year-over-year, although excluding the tech sector, growth is only expected at 3%, indicating market reliance on tech for future growth amidst uncertainty.
See More
Market Dynamics and Corporate Performance Analysis
- Dell's Quarter Performance: Dell reported a quarter that exceeded expectations, with shares rising over 30%, indicating strong performance across all business levels, particularly in data center servers, which is expected to boost overall market confidence.
- Costco Membership Renewal Rates Up: Costco's latest earnings report showed improved membership renewal rates in the U.S. and Canada; although market reaction was muted, record performance in its gas business is likely to enhance membership loyalty and solidify its market position.
- Anthropic Surpasses OpenAI: Anthropic raised $65 billion at a $965 billion valuation, becoming the most valuable AI startup, a significant increase from $380 billion in February, showcasing explosive revenue growth and wealth creation potential in the AI sector.
- Cybersecurity Market Volatility: Okta beat expectations in its earnings report, with shares rising over 8%, while Zscaler's stock fell due to disappointing guidance, highlighting a divergence in the cybersecurity industry that affected the performance of other companies, including CrowdStrike.
See More
