Market Reaction: Nvidia's Gains and Salesforce's Struggles

Wall Street showed a cautious start as Nvidia's strong earnings were met with lukewarm investor enthusiasm, while Salesforce's disappointing forecast weighed on sentiment. Despite the tech-heavy Nasdaq's rally, AI-related growth concerns persist. Meanwhile, companies like Trade Desk and J.M. Smucker face mixed fortunes amid broader market volatility.

Wall Street was poised for a tentative opening on Thursday, with Nvidia's impressive earnings failing to excite investors and Salesforce's bleak forecast dampening sentiment. Nvidia saw a modest 0.8% gain in premarket trading after exceeding both quarterly earnings expectations and current-quarter revenue forecasts.

Despite Nvidia's solid performance, investor caution prevailed, with concerns over AI's long-term market implications, according to Jeff Schulze of ClearBridge Investments. Meanwhile, major tech stocks such as Apple and Microsoft hovered in a stable-to-slightly-positive range.

With February witnessing erratic swings in U.S. equities, sentiment towards AI and tech stocks remains volatile. Noteworthy market moves included a sharp drop in Trade Desk's shares due to a bleak revenue forecast and a surge in J.M. Smucker's stock following better-than-expected earnings and strategic board appointments.

(With inputs from agencies.)