Japan Weighs New Tax Breaks to Boost Corporate Investment Amid Spending Debate 
Ireland Limits Planned Trade Ban on Israeli Settlements to Goods Only 
U.S. Dollar Slides for Third Straight Week as Rate Cut Expectations Boost Euro and Pound 
Wall Street Futures Slip as Oracle Earnings Miss Reignites AI Spending Concerns 
S&P 500 Slides as AI Chip Stocks Tumble, Cooling Tech Rally 
Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Indian Rupee Slides to Record Low on Fed Outlook 
Hong Kong Cuts Base Rate as HKMA Follows U.S. Federal Reserve Move 
US Signals Openness to New Trade Deal as Brazil Shows Willingness, Says USTR Greer 
Global Markets Slide as Tech Stocks Sink, Yields Rise, and AI Concerns Deepen 
Oil Prices Rebound in Asia as Venezuela Sanctions Risks Offset Ukraine Peace Hopes 
Fed’s Dovish Tone Sends Dollar Lower as Markets Price In More Rate Cuts 
Wall Street Futures Dip as Broadcom Slides, Tech Weighed Down Despite Dovish Fed Signals 
Gold Prices Dip as Markets Absorb Dovish Fed Outlook; Silver Eases After Record High 
Gold Prices Hold Firm as Markets Await Fed Rate Cut; Silver Surges to Record High 
Fed Near Neutral Signals Caution Ahead, Shifting Focus to Fixed Income in 2026 
Asian Currencies Steady as Fed Delivers Hawkish Rate Cut; Aussie and Rupee Under Pressure 
U.S. stock index futures rose slightly on Tuesday evening after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s cautious remarks and disappointing business activity data reignited concerns about economic growth. The modest uptick came after Wall Street’s negative session, where technology stocks led losses following weeks of artificial intelligence-driven gains.
Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU) delivered stronger-than-expected quarterly results, boosting sentiment in the semiconductor sector. However, the stock gained only marginally in after-hours trading. By 19:20 ET (23:20 GMT), S&P 500 Futures were up 0.1% to 6,718.75, Nasdaq 100 Futures also added 0.1% to 24,849.25, while Dow Jones Futures remained flat at 46,654.0.
Investors remained on edge over a possible U.S. government shutdown as bipartisan negotiations over a spending bill showed little progress, with just over a week before funding runs out.
Powell’s comments further pressured markets. He emphasized that the Fed faces “no risk-free path” in managing inflation and labor market weakness. Speaking in Rhode Island, Powell noted that while U.S. growth has slowed and the labor market cooled, inflation remains above the Fed’s 2% target. He stressed a cautious, data-dependent approach to interest rate cuts, warning against moving too aggressively. The Fed cut rates by 25 basis points last week, with markets still pricing in at least two more cuts in 2025.
His remarks also dampened hopes for further easing, while pointing out that stock valuations appear “fairly highly valued.” This sparked profit-taking in mega-cap tech, with Nvidia dropping 2.8% and Apple sliding 0.6%. Weak September PMI data also raised concerns about slowing growth across manufacturing and services.
The S&P 500 closed down 0.6% at 6,656.96, the Nasdaq Composite fell 1% to 22,573.47, and the Dow slipped 0.2% to 46,292.78.
Markets now await Thursday’s final Q2 GDP data and Friday’s PCE price index, the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge. Both readings are expected to shape expectations for future interest rate decisions.
