Stock market futures rose early Thursday after two Big Tech players posted quarterly results. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 337 points, or 0.83%. S&P 500 futures jumped 1.3%, while Nasdaq 100 futures gained 1.78%. In premarket trading, Meta Platforms advanced nearly 7% on stronger-than-expected revenue in the first quarter. Microsoft jumped more than 8%, powered by top- and bottom-line beats in the fiscal third quarter, as well as strong results from its Azure cloud business and upbeat guidance. Also before the opening bell, General Motors cut its 2025 forecast amid worries over President Donald Trump’s tariffs, seeing a tariff-related impact of between $4 billion and $5 billion. Shares were up nearly 3% in the premarket. Meanwhile, shares of Tesla traded 0.6% higher after company officials denied reports that its board has opened a search for a chief executive to succeed Elon Musk. In the previous session on Wednesday, the S&P 500 and the 30-stock Dow posted gains in volatile trading, coming back from earlier losses. At the day’s lows, the broad market index was down more than 2%, while the blue-chip Dow lost more than 780 points. Traders were initially shaken by weak economic data from the Commerce Department, showing that gross domestic product fell at an annualized pace of 0.3%. It marked the first quarter of negative growth since Q1 of 2022. Economists polled by Dow Jones had forecast a 0.4% gain. Investors looked past the dismal results and began buying back into the market late in the session, resulting in a rebound into positive territory for the Dow and S&P 500. Wednesday marked the final trading day in April, in which stocks were first whipsawed after President Donald Trump’s “reciprocal” tariff announcement on April 2 and the subsequent suspension of the highest levies. At one point, during the month, the S&P 500 briefly slipped into a bear market – falling more than 20% from its February record high – before recapturing some of its losses. The broad market index wound up ending Wednesday about 9% off its record close. Still, the comeback couldn’t save S&P 500 and the Dow from a losing April, as they slipped about 0.8% and 3.2%, respectively. The Nasdaq Composite, however, advanced 0.9% in the period. “While market volatility may persist until more tariff certainty emerges, we think the sharpest Trump policy swings are likely behind us and that the outlook is becoming more constructive,” UBS Global Wealth Management chief investment officer Solita Marcelli wrote on Wednesday. ”[W]ith Trump’s first 100 days bringing political uncertainty, shifting trade policies, and choppy markets, we believe investors should focus on strategies that both manage and look through volatility.” On Thursday, investors await quarterly results from CVS Health, Eli Lilly and McDonald’s in the morning, followed by Apple and Amazon in the afternoon. On the economic data front, traders await weekly jobless claims data and a reading on the U.S. manufacturing sector. The key nonfarm payrolls report is due on Friday. Treasury yields were mostly lower Thursday following reports that the U.S. economy fell into contraction in the first quarter and inflation readings were flat in March. As of 6 a.m., the benchmark 10-year Treasury note yield fell to 2.7 basis points to yield 4.148%. The policy-sensitive 2-year note was off 1.4 basis points to 3.607%. Japanese and Australian markets rose Thursday after swings on Wall Street overnight, as data pointing to a contraction in the U.S. economy in the first quarter heightened investors’ fears of a looming recession. Several Asia-Pacific markets, including South Korea, Hong Kong, China and India were closed for the Labor Day holiday. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 climbed 1.13% to end the day at 36,452.30 while the broader Topix index edged 0.46% higher to 2,679.44. Earlier in the day, the Bank of Japan held interest rates steady at 0.5% in a unanimous vote. Over in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 benchmark ended the day 0.24% higher at 8,145.60. The movement comes ahead of Australia’s elections on Saturday and marks the index’s fifth consecutive session in positive territory. Oil prices steadied in early Asian trade on Thursday, finding footing a day after a steep decline triggered by signs that Saudi Arabia could increase output and data showing the U.S. economy contracted. Brent crude futures gained 7 cents, or 0.1%, at $61.13 a barrel as at 0318 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up 1 cent or 0.02%, at $58.22. WTI closed at its lowest since March 2021 on Wednesday. “In the near term, the path of least resistance remains tilted to the downside,” said Sugandha Sachdeva, founder of SS WealthStreet, a New Delhi-based research firm. Gold eased on Thursday to hit its lowest level in two weeks as the dollar’s strength and easing trade tensions dulled the metal’s safe-haven allure, while investors looked forward to the U.S. non-farm payrolls report due this week. Spot gold fell 1.8% to $3,228.70 an ounce as of 0411 GMT, after hitting its lowest level since mid-April. U.S. gold futures lost 2.5% to $3,236.10. The dollar index rose 0.4% against its peers, making gold less attractive for buyers holding other currencies.