Nasdaq-100 futures fell 2% and the volatility index (VIX) climbed 10.9% as investors reacted to Nvidia's Q2 earnings report, which exceeded expectations but led to a 5.5% decline in Nvidia's stock in after-hours trading. The report revealed an adjusted EPS of $0.68 and revenue of $30.04 billion, prompting concerns about slowing growth rates in data center revenue despite a $50 billion share buyback announcement. Meanwhile, Salesforce's shares rose 3% after it also reported strong fiscal Q2 results, while Okta and HP saw declines due to lowered forecasts. As major indexes prepare for Nvidia's results, the broader market remains cautious, with economic indicators being closely monitored ahead of the Federal Reserve's upcoming decisions on interest rates. Overall, the market is in a holding pattern, reflecting the significance of Nvidia's performance on investor sentiment.