Brent Oil Holds Above $100 as Red Sea Attacks, Iran Conflict Threaten Global Supply 
Gold Price Holds Above $4,000 as Fed Rate Hike Bets Rise on Oil-Driven Inflation 
Oil Prices Pull Back After Two-Week Rally as Middle East Supply Risks Persist 
European Natural Gas Prices Sink as Middle East Tensions Ease, Oil Slumps 
Europe Economy Faces Recession Risk as Energy Costs and Weak Manufacturing Weigh on Growth 
BOJ Expected to Hold Rates Steady While Signaling More Hikes Ahead 
Trump Administration Imposes New Forced Labor Tariffs on 60 Trading Partners 
India to Continue U.S. Trade Talks After Trump Imposes 10% Import Tariff 
Canada Opens Gordie Howe Bridge Without U.S. Officials as Trump Tariff Tensions Persist 
Gold Prices Rise as Weak Dollar, Fed Rate Decision in Focus 
Canada Vows Trade Fight as Trump Imposes 50% Tariffs 
Eurozone Bond Yields Fall as Oil Slump Eases Inflation Fears Ahead of Central Bank Meetings 
Global Leaders Push Back as Trump Imposes New Forced Labor Tariffs 
Asian Stocks Rise as Oil Falls, Fed and Big Tech Earnings Take Center Stage 
Trump Threatens Iran With 'Major Military Punishment' as Red Sea Attacks Push Oil Above $100 
Wall Street Ends Mixed as Fed Decision, Earnings and Tariffs Keep Investors on Edge 
U.S. stock futures traded higher Monday as easing tensions between the United States and Iran boosted investor sentiment, sending oil prices sharply lower ahead of a pivotal week featuring major corporate earnings and the Federal Reserve’s latest policy decision.
Dow Jones futures gained 0.8%, S&P 500 futures climbed 0.9%, and Nasdaq 100 futures advanced 1.4% after the White House paused further military strikes on Iran, easing concerns over disruptions to global energy supplies. The improving geopolitical outlook helped lift equities while supporting bond prices.
Investor attention is now shifting to earnings season, with roughly one-third of S&P 500 companies scheduled to report results this week. Technology giants including Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, and Meta Platforms will release quarterly earnings that could provide fresh insight into the strength of artificial intelligence spending and whether massive investments in AI infrastructure remain sustainable.
Markets are also awaiting Wednesday’s Federal Reserve meeting. While traders expect interest rates to remain unchanged, policymakers are closely monitoring inflation risks tied to Middle East tensions and continued AI-driven investment, according to CME FedWatch expectations.
Oil prices retreated as hopes for a prolonged ceasefire improved. Brent crude fell nearly 7% to around $90 per barrel after briefly surpassing $100 last week amid fears that conflict could disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Iran has indicated it will halt retaliatory strikes as long as the U.S. suspends its bombing campaign, while the Trump administration continues to pursue diplomatic negotiations.
Meanwhile, Nvidia is reportedly negotiating a roughly $250 billion financial guarantee for OpenAI’s planned 10-gigawatt data center campus in Ohio, according to The Wall Street Journal. The project, backed by SoftBank’s energy subsidiary, could exceed $500 billion in total costs, with Nvidia’s guarantee helping secure financing by easing lender concerns over OpenAI’s credit profile.
Investors are also watching AI-related capital spending closely as rising financing needs raise questions about long-term profitability. Still, confidence in the sector received a boost after Chinese memory chipmaker CXMT surged about 500% in its Shanghai trading debut following an $8.6 billion IPO, becoming one of the world’s most valuable semiconductor companies.
