Stock Market 28 February 2026 - 1 March 2026

U.S. stock futures rose early Thursday, with technology shares leading gains. Nasdaq 100 futures increased by 1.44% and S&P 500 futures by 0.81%, recovering from Wednesday’s declines. Chip stocks helped drive the rebound, while the Federal Reserve kept rates steady at 3.50%-3.75% but signaled a possible rate hike in September, prompting traders to increase bets on higher rates later in the year. The NYSE will be closed Friday for Juneteenth, making Thursday the last trading session of the week. Notable company moves included Robinhood, which surged 8.7% premarket after announcing a 10% staff cut and $28 million in restructuring charges. Allbirds, now rebranded as Smartbird, jumped 39% after appointing a new CEO, completing its transition to AI, selling its footwear assets, and doubling its convertible financing facility to $100 million. Nvidia closed Wednesday down 1.3%, with its market cap just under $5 trillion, as investors focused on its $25 billion bond sale amid a broader tech pullback. SoFi shares were higher premarket after CEO Anthony Noto bought more shares, following a weak close and amid a hawkish Fed outlook for fintech lenders. American Airlines rebounded early Thursday, helped by lower oil prices and a price target increase from Jefferies, as the company announced a top executive’s retirement. SpaceX shares fell nearly 5% on Wednesday, their first full-session loss since the IPO, but remain well above the IPO price. The National Stock Exchange of India filed for a landmark Rs 30,000 crore IPO, set to be the country’s largest. Broader markets dropped Wednesday, with the S&P 500 down 1.2%, Nasdaq off 1.3%, and the Dow falling 507 points, as Fed projections raised rate hike expectations. Meta and Microsoft both declined sharply after the Fed’s announcement, with Meta down 5.5% and Microsoft off 3.8%. Intel gained 3.5% after progress in its manufacturing process and a price target hike from Bernstein. Nokia shares edged higher in Helsinki but fell in the U.S., with the company highlighting U.S. AI infrastructure growth.