U.S. stock futures pointed lower as oil prices nudged higher and investors' tepid reaction to Nvidia's earnings took steam out of the previous session's stock-market rally. The pullback came after a brief burst of buying momentum that had lifted major indexes, leaving traders reassessing whether the uptrend had real staying power or was built on fragile sentiment.

Nvidia's earnings report, while positive on paper, failed to ignite the kind of enthusiasm that typically follows a major tech name's quarterly results. That lukewarm reception signaled the earlier rally may have exhausted itself faster than expected. Rising oil costs add another layer of concern, since higher energy expenses tend to squeeze consumer spending and corporate margins simultaneously.

The combination of weaker tech sentiment and creeping energy inflation creates a headwind that sellers are now pressing. Traders will watch for confirmation that the market can hold support levels or if the pullback deepens into the open.