Wall Street Reaches New Record Highs as AI Boom and Iran Ceasefire Hopes Boost Markets 
Gold Prices Hold Near Record Levels as Inflation Concerns Offset Middle East Ceasefire Hopes 
Asian Stocks Rally as AI Boom and Iran Ceasefire Progress Lift Market Sentiment 
New World Screwworm Found Near U.S. Border Raises Threat to Cattle Industry and Beef Prices 
South Korea Central Bank Holds Interest Rates Steady Amid Inflation Concerns 
U.S. Launches New Strikes on Iran as Trump Signals Peace Deal Uncertainty 
US Dollar Slips as Markets Weigh Potential US-Iran Peace Deal and Oil Price Outlook 
Oil Prices Set for Sharp Weekly Losses as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Hopes Ease Supply Concerns 
Asian Markets Slide as New U.S. Strikes on Iran Spark Investor Caution 
Mega IPOs Like SpaceX and OpenAI Could Reshape S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 Portfolios in 2026 
European EV Sales Surge in April 2026 as Tesla and Chinese Automakers Gain Ground 
US Launches New Trade Investigation Into Vietnam Over Intellectual Property Concerns 
ECB’s Philip Lane Warns Middle East Conflict Could Keep Inflation Elevated 
U.S. Sanctions Iran’s Strait of Hormuz Authority as Global Oil Markets Face Turmoil 
S&P 500 Hits Record High as Tech Rally Slows Amid Iran Peace Uncertainty 
European Stocks Rise as AI Optimism Offsets U.S.-Iran Tensions 
Wall Street Hits New Highs as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Talks Boost Market Sentiment 
Asian stocks eased on Friday, retreating from record highs as investors booked profits ahead of a critical week marked by U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff deadline and key central bank meetings. The dollar strengthened against the yen after rebounding from a two-week low, supported by firm U.S. economic data, while Japan’s currency weakened amid political uncertainty following reports Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba may resign.
Japan’s Topix index, which surged over 5% in the previous two sessions to a record high, slipped 0.7%, while the Nikkei fell 0.5% from a one-year high. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng dropped 0.5%, mainland Chinese blue chips slid 0.2%, and Australia’s benchmark declined 0.5%. In contrast, U.S. S&P 500 futures rose 0.2%, buoyed by strong Alphabet earnings, with the Nasdaq also hitting a record close.
Global markets remain cautious ahead of multiple events: Trump’s August 1 trade deadline, the U.S. Federal Reserve policy meeting, key payroll data, and earnings reports from tech giants Amazon, Apple, Meta, and Microsoft. The Bank of Japan will announce its policy on Thursday, coinciding with a key Liberal Democratic Party meeting following Ishiba’s coalition loss in recent elections.
The euro traded near $1.1743, down 0.2% against the dollar, while the U.S. currency advanced 0.3% to 147.37 yen. U.S. 10-year Treasury yields eased to 4.39%, while Japanese government bond yields hovered near 1.6%, their highest since 2008.
Gold prices held steady at $3,368 per ounce, poised for a weekly gain, while Brent crude rose 0.3% to $69.35 and U.S. WTI gained 0.2% to $66.18 per barrel.
