Premarket Nasdaq Dips as AI, SpaceX and Contract Wins Steer Movers

Nasdaq futures slipped about 0.3% in early premkt trading as traders weigh Middle East headlines, weekly jobless claims data, and a heavy earnings slate; retail sentiment on SPY and QQQ remains neutral. Key movers include SoundHound AI (SOUN) up ~24% on strong revenue/raised guidance, SpaceX (SPCX) lower ahead of its IPO lockup expiry, SanDisk (SNDK) down ~9% after weak guidance despite a $14B buyback, and IonQ (IONQ) up ~10% on multiple contract wins, with Figma (FIG) also pressured by AI-infrastructure cost concerns. Investors will parse initial jobless claims, wholesale inventories, and a busy batch of earnings as Fed commentary and geopolitical developments continue to loom over trading.