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Investors are keenly awaiting impactful earnings reports from major retailers and the chipmaker Nvidia this week, leading to a relatively steady state in stock futures on Monday night. Futures linked to the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq 100 each registered minor declines, with the Dow down 0.06%, the S&P shrinking by nearly 0.1%, and the Nasdaq slipping 0.06%.

In the after-hours trading scene, Trump Media & Technology Group witnessed a nearly 2% drop, reversing earlier gains following reports that the company may acquire cryptocurrency trading firm Bakkt. Conversely, Walmart shares saw a slight uptick of 0.7% as it prepared to release its earnings before the market opened on Tuesday.

All eyes are on Nvidia as it prepares to release its earnings on Wednesday afternoon, with particular focus on the demand for its Blackwell AI chips. Despite a minor after-hours climb, Nvidia's stock had decreased by 1.3% during Monday's regular session.

To date, approximately 93% of S&P 500 companies have disclosed their quarterly results, with three-quarters surpassing expectations and over 60% exceeding revenue estimates, as reported by FactSet. On the trading front, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite ended a four-day losing streak with a 0.6% gain, while the S&P 500 rose by 0.4%. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 55 points, marking its third consecutive decline.

Last week's market activity was influenced by a postelection selloff, driven by apprehension regarding future interest rate trajectories amid a robust economy and labor market. Despite some skepticism around market valuations, several leading firms have increased their S&P 500 targets for 2025, buoyed by optimism surrounding long-term rate cuts and the prospect of a more business-friendly presidency.

Andrew Slimmon of Morgan Stanley Investment Management highlighted the market's upward trend, attributing it to a strong economy, consistent rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, and robust Q3 earnings. He noted, "The market is set up well for equities, and investors are not going to see the pullback they want."

As of shortly after 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday evening, stock futures continued to exhibit slight declines, with Dow Jones Industrial Average futures dipping by nearly 0.1%, S&P futures dropping less than 0.1%, and Nasdaq 100 futures shedding a similar margin.