Korea Zinc to Build $7.4 Billion Critical Minerals Refinery in Tennessee With U.S. Government Backing 
Gold and Silver Surge as Safe Haven Demand Rises on U.S. Economic Uncertainty 
Asian Currencies Trade Sideways as Dollar Weakens Ahead of Key U.S. Data 
Trump Orders Blockade of Sanctioned Oil Tankers, Raising Venezuela Tensions and Oil Prices 
Japan PMI Data Signals Manufacturing Stabilization as Services Continue to Drive Growth 
Oil Prices Climb on Venezuela Blockade, Russia Sanctions Fears, and Supply Risks 
Chinese Robotaxi Stocks Rally as Tesla Boosts Autonomous Driving Optimism 
Asian Currencies Slip as Dollar Strengthens; Indian Rupee Rebounds on Intervention Hopes 
Bank of Korea Downplays Liquidity’s Role in Weak Won and Housing Price Surge 
U.S. Dollar Steadies Near October Lows as Rate Cut Expectations Keep Markets on Edge 
Singapore Growth Outlook Brightens for 2025 as Economists Flag AI and Geopolitical Risks 
Gold and Silver Prices Dip as Markets Await Key U.S. Economic Data 
New Zealand Budget Outlook Shows Prolonged Deficits Despite Economic Recovery Hopes 
U.S. Stock Futures Edge Higher as Micron Earnings Boost AI Sentiment Ahead of CPI Data 
Oil Prices Rebound as Trump Orders Blockade of Sanctioned Venezuelan Tankers 
Asian Stocks Slide as AI Valuation Fears and BOJ Uncertainty Weigh on Markets 
BoE Set to Cut Rates as UK Inflation Slows, but Further Easing Likely Limited 
The S&P 500 closed lower Wednesday, weighed down by renewed trade tensions and Federal Reserve concerns over tariff-driven economic uncertainty. The S&P 500 fell 0.5%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.6% (244 points), and the NASDAQ Composite dropped 0.5%.
Market sentiment soured after reports that President Donald Trump ordered U.S. semiconductor software firms to halt sales to China. According to the Financial Times, the directive affects major chipmakers like Intel (NASDAQ: INTC), AMD (NASDAQ: AMD), and Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA), which all saw share declines. Nvidia, in particular, is under pressure as it prepared to release quarterly results post-market. Analysts expect strong earnings—$0.893 EPS on $43.12 billion in revenue—driven by demand from AI hyperscalers expanding data center capacity.
However, investor focus remains on Nvidia's future guidance and its position in China, where U.S. export restrictions are tightening. CEO Jensen Huang recently criticized these restrictions as ineffective, forecasting that China could still become a $50 billion market for Nvidia.
On the retail front, Macy’s (NYSE: M) rose on a strong Q1 earnings beat but cut its full-year outlook due to tariffs, weaker consumer spending, and competitive pricing pressures. Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE: ANF) also beat Q1 profit expectations, despite slightly missing on revenue. Dick’s Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) gained after reporting record sales and reaffirming its 2025 forecast.
Meanwhile, Okta (NASDAQ: OKTA) slumped after issuing cautious guidance due to ongoing macroeconomic headwinds.
Federal Reserve minutes released Wednesday echoed concerns about trade policy uncertainty. Policymakers remain hesitant to cut rates, citing inflation risks tied to President Trump’s tariffs. Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari emphasized the importance of not underestimating supply-side price shocks.
