March Nasdaq 100 E-Mini futures are up +0.59%, driven by strong earnings from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., sparking optimism around AI. Wall Street saw gains yesterday, with TSM shares up over +4% after record Q4 profit and upbeat guidance. Chip stocks rallied, with KLA Corp. rising +7% and Applied Materials up over +5%. BlackRock advanced over +5% after strong Q4 results. Jobless claims unexpectedly fell to a 6-week low, while manufacturing indices exceeded expectations. Fed officials stress the need to curb inflation. U.S. and Taiwan strike a trade deal. Industrial Production data and key speeches expected today. Earnings from PNC Financial, State Street, and M&T Bank to watch. Euro Stoxx 50 down -0.27%. German and Italian CPI released. Asian markets close lower. China tightens margin financing rules. Japan’s Nikkei down -0.32%. Micron Technology rises over +6% pre-market. Earnings spotlight on PNC Financial, State Street, M&T Bank, Regions Financial, and BOK Financial.

Read more at Barchart: Nasdaq Futures Climb on AI Optimism