Dollar Near Two-Week High as Stock Rout, AI Concerns and Global Events Drive Market Volatility 
Australia’s December Trade Surplus Expands but Falls Short of Expectations 
Oil Prices Slide on US-Iran Talks, Dollar Strength and Profit-Taking Pressure 
Trump Signs Executive Order Threatening 25% Tariffs on Countries Trading With Iran 
Trump Lifts 25% Tariff on Indian Goods in Strategic U.S.–India Trade and Energy Deal 
Vietnam’s Trade Surplus With US Jumps as Exports Surge and China Imports Hit Record 
RBI Holds Repo Rate at 5.25% as India’s Growth Outlook Strengthens After U.S. Trade Deal 
Singapore Budget 2026 Set for Fiscal Prudence as Growth Remains Resilient 
Asian Markets Slip as AI Spending Fears Shake Tech, Wall Street Futures Rebound 
Japanese Pharmaceutical Stocks Slide as TrumpRx.gov Launch Sparks Market Concerns 
Global Markets Slide as AI, Crypto, and Precious Metals Face Heightened Volatility 
U.S. Stock Futures Edge Higher as Tech Rout Deepens on AI Concerns and Earnings 
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 
Japan Economy Poised for Q4 2025 Growth as Investment and Consumption Hold Firm 
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility 
Oil Prices Slip as U.S.–Iran Talks Ease Supply Disruption Fears 
The S&P 500 closed at a new high on Thursday as backed up by an article from the site Investing.com, boosted by a rally in semiconductor stocks led by Micron Technology. The chipmaker’s shares surged nearly 15% after issuing better-than-expected fiscal fourth-quarter results and strong guidance for the current quarter, attributed to demand for its high-bandwidth memory chips fueled by AI. Super Micro Computer Inc. fell over 12% after news of a DOJ investigation.
Southwest Airlines Rises on Raised Guidance and Buyback
Southwest Airlines stock jumped more than 5% after raising its revenue-per-capacity guidance and announcing a $2.5 billion stock repurchase program, adding to market gains, as explained also by Reuters.
As per The Wall Street Journal, durable goods orders unexpectedly rose in August, and jobless claims dropped, signaling economic resilience. GDP remained steady at a 3.0% annualized gain for Q2, the largest in two quarters. The upcoming PCE price index data — the Federal Reserve's preferred measure of inflation — will be closely watched as the central bank assesses its rate policy.
China Tech Stocks Surge Amid Stimulus Hopes
Chinese tech giants Alibaba, JD.com, and Baidu saw their shares climb after Beijing pledged additional fiscal stimulus to meet its growth target of approximately 5%, fueling a broader market rally.
