Several big company names were piquing interest on Friday morning, including motor giant Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F).
Its shares nudged up 0.11% in pre-market deals to stand at US$9.44 despite the group being embroiled in a recall controversy, which is still headlining globally.
The historic auto group is recalling 2mln pickup trucks - the famous F-150 models - in the US and Canada over fire and smoke concerns relating to seat belt parts.
If you drive a Ford Motor Company #F150 - take note https://t.co/1AL1rCWSVQ
— FOX 47 News (@FOX47News) 7 September 2018
The manufacturer, based in Detroit, said some components could generate excessive sparks when used, which could lead to a fire risk.
Looking to Asia, shares of Toyota (NYSE:TM) fell 1.1% in Tokyo after the car maker said it would halt its production in Japan in the wake of the earthquake in Hokkaido, according to a Seeking Alpha report.
The company's factory in Tomakomai, which produces its auto parts, still has no power, and the fall-out from the Hokkaido earthquake could reportedly hurt Toyota's supply chain for months.
Elsewhere, entrepreneur and self-styled future gazer Elon Musk was also back in the frame and courting controversy as usual.
The 47-year-old took a puff on a joint during a live podcast with comedian Joe Rogan, which was shown live on the internet.
"I’m not a regular smoker of weed,” the Tesla (NASDAQ:TESLA) boss said. The joint contained tobacco mixed with marijuana, which is legal in California.
Musk also revealed the challenges of living with a brain that has enabled him to build and run multiple tech companies simultaneously.
Elsewhere, Okta Inc (NASDAQ:OKTA) shares shot up 14.7% in pre-market deals after the firm reported a narrower-than-expected adjusted quarterly loss and revenue, which beat estimates.
The cloud tech firm revealed that, adjusted for one-time items, it lost US$16.4mln, or US$0.15 a share, versus US$14.1mln, or US$0.15 per share, a year ago. Revenue rose 57% to US$94.6mln.
Analysts had expected an adjusted loss of US$0.15 per share on sales of US$85mln.
Meanwhile, Palo Alto Networks Inc (NYSE:PANW) shares added over 8% in pre-market deals at US$234.06 after the group posted an earnings beat.
The fourth-quarter loss was US$2.3mln, or US$0.02 a share, on sales of US$658.1mln, up from US$509.1mln a year ago
After adjusting for, among others, stock-based compensation, the company claimed earnings of US$1.28 a share, up from US$92 a share a year ago.
Consensus was for adjusted earnings of US$1.17 a share on revenue of US$634mln.
Broadcom Inc (NASDAQ:AVGO) shares added 4.41% to US$225.50 before the bell after it reported third-quarter profit that topped analysts' estimates.
It also predicts that current-quarter revenue will be largely above estimates on higher demand for components that power data centers.
-- updated with addition of Toyota news coming out of Tokyo --