Stock Futures Rise on Sunday Night After the Tech Rout — Midterms Next

U.S. stock futures rose on Sunday evening, November 1, 2026, as a new week and month of trading began after last week's tech-fueled drop. Just after 6 p.m. Eastern time, S&P 500 futures were up 0.2%, Nasdaq-100 futures rose 0.3% and Dow futures rose 0.2%, according to Barron's. A second market recap put the early gains slightly higher, with S&P 500 futures up 0.3%, Nasdaq-100 futures up 0.4% and Dow futures up 116 points, or 0.2%.

What happened on Sunday night?

Futures reopened at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday after U.S. clocks moved back one hour to Eastern Standard Time. The modest rise was the market's first signal since Friday's close, pointing to a steadier Monday open rather than more selling. It was small — two to four tenths of a percent — but after a bruising end to October for tech, even a green open drew attention.

Oil moved the other way. West Texas Intermediate futures were down 1.5% on Sunday to around $102.40 a barrel, after WTI had closed down 0.2% on Friday at $103.90 and the Brent crude continuous contract had settled flat at $113.40, Barron's reported.

Why did stocks fall last week?

All three major indexes tumbled last week, even though the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite had each been up more than 1.5% through Wednesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended the week down 0.9% at 51,770.31, snapping a three-week winning streak. The S&P 500 closed down 0.6% at 7,580.07, including its largest single-day point and percentage decline since June 5. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite ended the week down 2% at 25,437.00, also posting its largest one-day drop since June 5.

The selling centred on technology and artificial-intelligence spending. Disappointing results and guidance from large tech companies, including Alphabet, Amazon and Intel, raised questions about how quickly heavy AI investment will pay back. Those worries left the Nasdaq with its worst October since March 2025, down about 5.3% for the month, while more defensive parts of the market held up better.

Why is this blowing up tonight?

Sunday-night futures are being watched more closely than usual because the week ahead stacks three major catalysts on top of each other. First, earnings continue on Monday after the close with Apple and Palantir, two of the most closely followed reports of the season. Second, U.S. midterm elections are held on Tuesday, November 3. Third, the October jobs report lands on Friday, with the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey on Tuesday and ADP's private-employment report on Wednesday in between.

Early voting is already running well ahead of the last midterms. Turnout through Sunday afternoon surpassed 54.3 million, according to the Election Lab at the University of Florida — 8.4 million more than the 45.9 million who voted early in the 2022 midterms.

What are strategists saying about the midterms?

Standard Chartered strategist Steve Englander wrote this weekend that markets may prefer gridlock in the next Congress. He said Democrats could easily flip the House, while Senate races remain competitive, and noted betting markets now give a 70% or greater chance that Democrats take both chambers in his updated note. In his view, markets would be happiest with gridlock; a large Democratic sweep could weaken growth expectations and the U.S. dollar, while Republicans beating expectations and keeping both chambers would probably push bond yields and the dollar higher.

What about fuel prices?

Fuel prices eased slightly on Sunday but remain far above a year ago — a live issue two days before voters go to the polls. The average price of a gallon of regular unleaded fell to $4.173 on Sunday, according to AAA, down from $4.414 a month ago but up from $3.038 a year ago. Diesel averaged $6.304 a gallon, down from $6.390 a month ago but up from $3.686 a year ago.

What's next?

Monday brings the ISM manufacturing reading and then Apple and Palantir earnings after the close — reports that will test whether the Sunday-night steadiness holds once real results arrive. Tuesday's midterms will decide control of the House and Senate and could shape President Donald Trump's ability to advance his legislative priorities in the second half of his term, or produce divided government instead. Friday's October jobs report is the week's biggest economic release and will feed directly into expectations for Federal Reserve policy in December.

For now, the takeaway is narrow: futures pointed modestly higher, oil slipped, and the new month is starting calmer than the old one ended.

Sources

Barron's — Stock Futures Rise With Tuesday's Midterms Looming
SSBCrack News — Stock Futures Rise as Investors Brace for Earnings and Midterm Elections

FAQ

How much did U.S. stock futures rise on Sunday night?

Just after 6 p.m. ET on November 1, S&P 500 futures were up 0.2%, Nasdaq-100 futures rose 0.3% and Dow futures rose 0.2%, according to Barron's; a second recap put S&P futures up 0.3% and Nasdaq-100 futures up 0.4%.

Why did the stock market fall last week?

Technology shares led the drop on disappointing earnings and AI-spending worries, leaving the Nasdaq down 2% for the week and about 5.3% for October, while the S&P 500 fell 0.6% and the Dow fell 0.9%.

What are the big market events this week?

Apple and Palantir report earnings after Monday's close, U.S. midterm elections are held on Tuesday, November 3, and the October jobs report is released on Friday.

What happened to oil and gasoline prices on Sunday?

WTI crude futures fell 1.5% to around $102.40 a barrel, while AAA put average U.S. regular gasoline at $4.173 a gallon on Sunday and diesel at $6.304.