EL7.AI
StocksMedium•23 July 2026•
1 min read

US Futures Slip as Big Tech AI Spending Squeezes Profit Margins

Key Facts

1Tesla shares fell after rising R&D costs squeezed profits.
2Alphabet shares took a hit after the company raised its capital expenditures forecast.
3Markets are awaiting Intel's earnings results due after the closing bell today.

After weeks of anticipation for tech earnings, US stock futures traded lower as investors reacted to heavy AI-related spending by mega-cap firms. Tesla shares fell as rising research and development costs squeezed profit margins, while Alphabet faced pressure after raising its capital expenditures forecast. Markets are now closely monitoring Intel's earnings results, which are scheduled for release after today's closing bell.

Per market data, Alphabet (GOOGL) closed at $342.09 and Tesla (TSLA) at $374.01 on July 22, 2026, as these levels reflect investor concerns over sustained expenditure growth. In the broader tech sector, peers such as NVDA closed at $374.01 and MSFT at $390.34, indicating a sector-wide reaction to the updated capital investment outlooks provided by industry leaders.

Traders are keeping a close watch on Intel (INTC), which stood at $102.62 at the close of July 22, 2026, ahead of its pivotal earnings announcement, alongside AMD at $552.33. With major economic calendar catalysts light in the immediate window, corporate earnings reports remain the primary driver for market sentiment and price action in the coming sessions.