5 Crucial Market Insights You Need Before the Opening Bell Rings on July 31, 2025

Wall Street's morning caffeine rush just got a trading edge.

1. The Fed's Shadow Play: Central bank whispers move markets before the first trade clears. Ignore them at your portfolio's peril.

2. Crypto Contagion Watch: Bitcoin's overnight swings now dictate traditional market sentiment. The tail wags the dog.

3. Earnings Season Landmines: Three S&P 500 giants report today. One miss could trigger algorithmic carnage.

4. Asia's Ripple Effect: Shanghai Composite's 2.3% dive signals global risk-off mood. Futures already pricing it in.

5. The Retail Trader Paradox: Main Street's 'dumb money' now accounts for 25% of pre-market volume. Hedge funds hate this trick.

Remember: The market opens at the same time every day—but the game changes by the nanosecond. (Bonus jab: If you think fundamentals matter in 2025, we've got a subprime NFT to sell you.)

1. US Stock Futures Point Sharply Higher on Big Tech Earnings

U.S. stock futures are surging after Microsoft and Meta Platforms posted strong quarterly results, while investors look ahead to key inflation data set to be released this morning. Nasdaq futures are up by 1.2% after it was the only major index to end higher yesterday. S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average futures are up 0.9% and 0.2%, respectively. Bitcoin (BTCUSD) is up more than 1% at around $118,500. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note is inching lower. Oil futures are down. Gold futures are little changed.

2. Inflation Expected to Inch Higher in June PCE Report

Inflation is expected to tick higher when the Personal Consumption Expenditures index for June is released at 8:30 a.m. ET. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal expect the PCE report to show prices rose by 2.5% year-over-year, an increase over the May reading of 2.3%. The uptick WOULD echo the increase in inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index, which was reported earlier in the month. The "core" PCE inflation rate, which is closely followed by the Federal Reserve, is expected to stay at 2.7%. The data follows yesterday's Fed decision to keep interest rates unchanged, citing worries that tariffs could drive prices higher.

3. Meta Platforms Stock Jumps as Ad Revenue Lifts Earnings

Meta Platforms (META) shares are soaring by nearly 12% in premarket trading after the Facebook parent's quarterly results blew past analysts' estimates. Meta's second-quarter earnings per share of $7.14 on revenue that surged 22% year-over-year to $47.52 billion beat Visible Alpha consensus expectations. The company also surprised analysts with a 21% increase in ad revenue. Meanwhile, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company would continue to aggressively spend to attract AI talent.

4. Microsoft Stock Pops as Cloud Revenue Drives Results

Microsoft (MSFT) shares are up by more than 8% in premarket trading after the software giant delivered fiscal fourth-quarter results that beat analysts' expectations on strong growth in its Intelligent Cloud segment. The tech titan posted profit of $3.65 per share on revenue that jumped 18%, with both surpassing Visible Alpha estimates. Revenue from Microsoft's Intelligent Cloud segment, which includes Microsoft Azure, grew 26%, also ahead of estimates. With its stock price closing at $513.24 Wednesday, Microsoft's market capitalization is approaching the $4 trillion mark.

5. Investors Watching for Sales Growth from Apple, Amazon

Following the strong reports from Microsoft and Meta, investors are looking ahead to earnings from fellow "Magnificent Seven" firms Apple (AAPL) and Amazon (AMZN) after markets close today. Analysts expect Apple’s sales to grow by 4% year-over-year to $89.54 billion and EPS to tick higher, while investors will be watching for more information on Apple Intelligence investments. Meanwhile, Amazon's quarterly revenue is expected to rise by 10% to $162.19 billion and EPS also is seen edging higher. Amazon shares are higher by more than 3% in early trading, while Apple stock is little changed.