US stock futures fall as Democratic midterm gains spark tech and gridlock concerns

U.S. equity futures dropped sharply on Globex, with S&P 500 e-mini futures sliding about 1.2% and Nasdaq futures posting steeper declines. Early midterm election tallies showed Democrats leading 139 to 89 in the House and 46 to 36 in the Senate. The sell-off followed investor concerns over potential fiscal gridlock, renewed debt ceiling standoffs, and increased regulatory scrutiny on artificial intelligence and data center infrastructure. The risk-off sentiment spread globally, pushing Japan's Nikkei 225 down 3.1% amid heavy selling in semiconductor and AI-linked stocks.