Tech Stocks May Lead Early Rebound On Wall Street

Group 1: Market Overview - Major U.S. index futures are indicating a higher open, with technology stocks expected to lead the rebound, as shown by a 1.0 percent increase in Nasdaq 100 futures [1] - The tech-heavy Nasdaq fell 238.12 points or 1.0 percent to 23,471.75, while the S&P 500 and Dow also experienced declines [5] - Concerns about rising geopolitical tensions contributed to the weakness on Wall Street [5] Group 2: Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC) - Shares of Taiwan Semiconductor are up more than 5 percent in pre-market trading following a significant increase in fourth-quarter profits [2] - TSMC's capital expenditure levels indicate strong confidence in the ongoing AI boom, with guidance suggesting 30% growth by 2026 [3] Group 3: U.S. Economic Indicators - Initial jobless claims unexpectedly fell to 198,000, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week's revised level of 207,000, contrary to economists' expectations of an increase [24][25] - Retail sales in the U.S. rose by 0.6 percent in November, exceeding expectations of a 0.4 percent increase [8][9] Group 4: Sector Performance - Software stocks saw a significant decline, dragging the Dow Jones U.S. Software Index down by 2.4 percent to its lowest level in eight months [10] - Airline and retail stocks also experienced notable weakness, while energy stocks showed significant strength [10] Group 5: International Markets - Asian stocks ended mixed, with Japan's Nikkei 225 Index dropping 0.4 percent and South Korea's Kospi surging 1.6 percent to a record high [12][15] - European stocks displayed mixed performance, with the U.K. GDP growing by 0.3 percent in November, surpassing expectations [18][19]