Stock futures point lower before the open: pre-market brief for October 23, 2026
Ahead of the Friday, October 23, 2026 opening bell, US equity futures are trading slightly lower following a split Thursday session. On Thursday, the S&P 500 slipped -1.21% and the Nasdaq dropped -2.60%, while the Dow Jones and Russell 2000 posted modest gains. Market breadth in the S&P 500 closed positive with 335 advancing constituents against 163 declining names.
| Ticker | Company | Price ($) | Change | Week to date | Dollar volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALLE | Allegion | 176.52 | +11.02% | +12.76% | $370M |
| ROP | Roper Technologies | 436.23 | +9.73% | +13.98% | $862M |
| LEN | Lennar | 84.45 | +8.69% | +9.56% | $547M |
| BX | Blackstone | 118.75 | +8.38% | +11.39% | $1.4B |
| GIS | General Mills | 35.18 | +8.01% | +6.19% | $401M |
| LULU | Lululemon Athletica | 104.06 | +7.80% | +7.17% | $708M |
| HPQ | HP | 33.76 | +7.79% | +12.50% | $535M |
| CSGP | CoStar | 35.45 | +7.75% | +9.72% | $295M |
| ACN | Accenture | 258.74 | +7.69% | +12.65% | $2.1B |
| NDAQ | Nasdaq | 103.30 | +7.47% | +9.93% | $738M |
| Ticker | Company | Price ($) | Change | Week to date | Dollar volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRNA | Moderna | 202.63 | -17.57% | -7.05% | $10.1B |
| COHR | Coherent | 207.82 | -12.51% | -10.77% | $2.6B |
| LRCX | Lam Research | 230.15 | -11.76% | -12.80% | $5.3B |
| LITE | Lumentum | 752.54 | -11.54% | -8.69% | $4.6B |
| FLEX | Flex | 76.69 | -11.08% | -15.22% | $844M |
| CIEN | Ciena | 322.64 | -10.71% | -3.03% | $1.3B |
| GEV | GE Vernova | 827.42 | -10.64% | -10.18% | $4.8B |
| TER | Teradyne | 308.75 | -10.63% | -5.00% | $1.8B |
| VST | Vistra | 140.83 | -9.81% | -7.36% | $1.8B |
| KLAC | KLA | 147.83 | -9.55% | -10.81% | $3.1B |
| Market | Last | Change | Week to date |
|---|---|---|---|
| S&P 500 | 7,663.43 | -1.21% | +0.05% |
| Nasdaq | 26,008.86 | -2.60% | -0.50% |
| Dow Jones | 52,867.98 | +0.02% | +1.66% |
| Russell 2000 | 2,784.03 | +0.11% | +2.30% |
| S&P 500 futures | 7,681.25 | -0.30% | - |
| Nasdaq 100 futures | 29,105.50 | -0.13% | - |
| Dow futures | 52,690.00 | -0.71% | - |
| VIX | 19.78 | +3.94% | - |
| 10-year yield (%) | 4.95 | -3.75% | - |
| US Dollar Index | 101.79 | +0.18% | - |
| Gold ($/oz) | 4,036.80 | -0.58% | - |
| WTI crude ($) | 101.39 | +1.93% | - |
| Bitcoin ($) | 81,623.66 | +0.38% | - |
How did major indices perform in the previous session?
On Thursday, October 22, US equity benchmarks delivered mixed performances. The Nasdaq fell -2.60% to 26,008.86 and the S&P 500 dropped -1.21% to 7,663.43. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones edged up +0.02% to 52,867.98, and the Russell 2000 advanced +0.11% to 2,784.03.
Major indices showed notable divergence on Thursday. Tech-heavy exposure weighed on the Nasdaq, dragging it down -2.60% to 26,008.86, while the S&P 500 declined -1.21% to finish at 7,663.43. Despite the weakness in broad capitalization benchmarks, S&P 500 market breadth showed positive internal breadth with 335 stocks finishing higher, 163 falling, and 5 closing unchanged.
Smaller and blue-chip segments saw marginal gains during the session. The Dow Jones rose +0.02% to end at 52,867.98, while the Russell 2000 added +0.11% to settle at 2,784.03. On a week-to-date basis, the Russell 2000 leads among major benchmarks with a gain of +2.30%, compared to +1.66% for the Dow Jones and +0.05% for the S&P 500.
Where do index futures and commodities stand before the open?
Equity index futures are pointing toward a softer open on Friday morning. S&P 500 futures are down -0.30% at 7,681.25, Nasdaq 100 futures have dropped -0.13% to 29,105.50, and Dow futures are down -0.71% at 52,690.00.
Pre-market futures activity indicates continued caution across US equities. The VIX index rose +3.94% to reach 19.78 as of Friday morning. In debt markets, the 10-year Treasury yield settled at 4.953% on Thursday, a decline of -3.75%.
Commodity and currency markets reflect mixed action heading into Friday's trading. WTI crude oil gained +1.93% to trade at $101.39 per barrel, while gold slipped -0.58% to $4,036.80 per ounce. The US Dollar Index rose +0.18% to 101.788, and Bitcoin climbed +0.38% to $81,623.66.
Which stocks moved the most during Thursday's session?
Allegion led the S&P 500 gainers on Thursday, surging +11.02% to $176.52 on $370.3M in volume. Moderna paced the decliners, falling -17.57% to $202.63 with a heavy dollar volume of $10.1B. Specific fundamental drivers were not provided in our data.
Top gainers in Thursday's session included Allegion (+11.02% to $176.52), Roper Technologies (+9.73% to $436.23 with $862.1M traded), and Lennar (+8.69% to $84.45 with $546.9M in turnover). Blackstone also advanced +8.38% to $118.75 on $1.4B in volume. The specific corporate drivers behind these moves are not in our data; readers can consult company press releases and SEC filings for details.
On the downside, Moderna experienced the sharpest decline, sinking -17.57% to $202.63 on $10.1B in dollar volume. Coherent dropped -12.51% to $207.82 on $2.6B in trading, and Lam Research lost -11.76% to $230.15 on $5.3B in volume. Lumentum also declined -11.54% to $752.54. Specific catalysts for these downward moves are not detailed in our data.
Frequently asked questions
How did the S&P 500 perform in the previous session?
The S&P 500 dropped -1.21% to close at 7,663.43 on Thursday, October 22, 2026. However, market breadth was positive, with 335 constituents gaining and 163 declining.
What are US stock futures indicating for Friday's market open?
Pre-market futures point to lower levels ahead of the open on Friday, October 23. S&P 500 futures are down -0.30%, Nasdaq 100 futures are lower by -0.13%, and Dow futures have dropped -0.71%.
Which S&P 500 stocks saw the largest percentage changes on Thursday?
Allegion recorded the largest gain among constituents, climbing +11.02% to $176.52. Moderna led the laggards, tumbling -17.57% to $202.63 on more than $10.0B in volume.
Bottom line
With US markets closed ahead of Friday's session, index futures point to a cautious start across major benchmarks. Investors will observe how cash markets open following Thursday's divergence between large-cap tech and the broader market. Note that past performance does not guarantee future results. Live tables are updated during the session on our stock market page.