ASML Lifts Guidance Again, Nasdaq Futures Rise
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- ASML reported record orders in its latest quarter and raised full-year sales guidance for the second time in 2026, with shares jumping in Europe as a fresh read on unrelenting AI-driven chip demand.
- Nasdaq-100 futures are leading U.S. premarket gains, with semiconductor equipment maker Applied Materials among the biggest individual premarket gainers.
- SK Hynix Korean-listed shares surged nearly 9%, extending a stretch of topsy-turvy trading as the memory-chip leader catches the AI tailwind.
- Morgan Stanley joined other major U.S. banks in posting bumper earnings, while BlackRock reported record Q2 assets of $15.3 trillion.
- U.S. crude is approaching $80 a barrel as hopes fade for a quick Mideast conflict resolution, pushing global bond yields higher.
Why it matters: ASML's second guidance raise of 2026 and record orders directly validate the AI capex thesis that has powered the semiconductor complex, with Applied Materials and memory players like SK Hynix (+9% in Korea) the read-through beneficiaries. June inflation cooling to 3.5%, per the headline, gives the Fed additional cover to stay patient, even as oil near $80 and rising bond yields offset some risk appetite.
