Stock Futures Rise After Google Avoids Major Antitrust Penalty

Stock futures ticked higher early Wednesday after a favorable ruling in an antitrust case involving Alphabet, Google’s parent company. Investors cheered the decision, which appears to give major tech firms more room to navigate regulatory challenges while keeping their market performance strong.

S&P 500 futures rose 0.17%, while Nasdaq-100 futures jumped 0.35%. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped slightly, down 119 points or 0.26%.

Alphabet’s shares surged more than 7% in after-hours trading following the court’s ruling that Google can continue offering its Chrome browser. While the company cannot strike exclusive search deals, it is allowed to share search data, reflecting the court’s acknowledgment of how artificial intelligence is expanding consumer choice.

The decision also benefited Apple. Preloading Google Search on iPhones can continue, and Apple’s stock climbed more than 3% as a result. The twin boosts to Alphabet and Apple injected fresh momentum into the tech sector.

September began with a modest market pullback, but the recent developments sparked renewed optimism. Investors are keeping a close eye on upcoming economic data, including Friday’s August jobs report, which could act as the next market catalyst.

Bond yields edged up as well. The 10-year Treasury yield reached 4.27%, while the 30-year yield topped 4.97%. Analysts say the moves reflect broader attention to economic conditions and trade policies. Historically, September tends to be volatile, but strong corporate earnings and resilient tech stocks are giving investors reasons for cautious optimism.