Asian Stocks Slip as Tech Rout Deepens, Japan Steadies Ahead of Election 
Singapore Budget 2026 Set for Fiscal Prudence as Growth Remains Resilient 
Vietnam’s Trade Surplus With US Jumps as Exports Surge and China Imports Hit Record 
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility 
Oil Prices Slide on US-Iran Talks, Dollar Strength and Profit-Taking Pressure 
Gold Prices Slide Below $5,000 as Strong Dollar and Central Bank Outlook Weigh on Metals 
Dollar Near Two-Week High as Stock Rout, AI Concerns and Global Events Drive Market Volatility 
Japan Economy Poised for Q4 2025 Growth as Investment and Consumption Hold Firm 
South Korea’s Weak Won Struggles as Retail Investors Pour Money Into U.S. Stocks 
Gold and Silver Prices Rebound After Volatile Week Triggered by Fed Nomination 
Japanese Pharmaceutical Stocks Slide as TrumpRx.gov Launch Sparks Market Concerns 
Fed Governor Lisa Cook Warns Inflation Risks Remain as Rates Stay Steady 
Trump Endorses Japan’s Sanae Takaichi Ahead of Crucial Election Amid Market and China Tensions 
Bank of Japan Signals Readiness for Near-Term Rate Hike as Inflation Nears Target 
Dollar Steadies Ahead of ECB and BoE Decisions as Markets Turn Risk-Off 
Silver Prices Plunge in Asian Trade as Dollar Strength Triggers Fresh Precious Metals Sell-Off 
U.S.-India Trade Framework Signals Major Shift in Tariffs, Energy, and Supply Chains 
U.S. stock index futures rose Thursday evening, driven by strong earnings from Alphabet Inc. and renewed investor enthusiasm for artificial intelligence (AI) and tech stocks. Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) jumped nearly 5% in after-hours trading after surpassing Q1 earnings expectations and announcing a $70 billion stock buyback. The company also reaffirmed its aggressive AI development roadmap, boosting investor confidence in sustained demand for data centers and chips.
Alphabet’s performance helped lift other major tech players. Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) and NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) both gained over 1% post-market, while chipmaker TSMC (NYSE:TSM) rose 0.5%. ServiceNow Inc. (NYSE:NOW) also contributed to bullish sentiment with stronger-than-expected results, reinforcing momentum in AI-focused software and infrastructure.
S&P 500 futures rose 0.4% to 5,531.0, while Nasdaq 100 futures climbed 0.5% to 19,427.25. The Dow Jones futures traded flat at 40,260.0. Earlier, the S&P 500 gained 2%, the Nasdaq surged 2.7%, and the Dow rose 1.2%.
Investor optimism was further supported by U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting ongoing trade talks with China, despite denials from Chinese officials. Markets remained focused on the possibility of tariff reductions amid trade war concerns.
However, the earnings landscape outside tech was mixed. Consumer-facing companies like Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG), Chipotle (NYSE:CMG), PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP), and Skechers (NYSE:SKX) cut or withdrew guidance, citing uncertain consumer spending. Intel Corp. (NASDAQ:INTC) fell 5% in after-hours trading despite beating estimates, as weak guidance and macroeconomic risks weighed on sentiment.
With more tech earnings ahead, including Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) next week, investor attention remains on AI growth potential and corporate guidance amid economic uncertainty.
