EU Recovery Fund Faces Bottlenecks Despite Driving Digital and Green Projects 
U.S.–Venezuela Relations Show Signs of Thaw as Top Envoy Visits Caracas 
IMF Forecasts Global Inflation Decline as Growth Remains Resilient 
Starmer’s China Visit Highlights Western Balancing Act Amid U.S.-China Rivalry 
Dollar Holds Firm as Markets Weigh Warsh-Led Fed and Yen Weakness Ahead of Japan Election 
China Manufacturing PMI Slips Into Contraction in January as Weak Demand Pressures Economy 
South Korea Factory Activity Hits 18-Month High as Export Demand Surges 
South Korea Exports Surge in January on AI Chip Demand, Marking Fastest Growth in 4.5 Years 
Philippines Manufacturing PMI Hits Nine-Month High Despite Weak Confidence Outlook 
Oil Prices Steady as Markets Weigh U.S.-Iran Talks, Dollar Strength Caps Gains 
JPMorgan Lifts Gold Price Forecast to $6,300 by End-2026 on Strong Central Bank and Investor Demand 
Oil Prices Slide Nearly 3% as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Geopolitical Tensions 
S&P 500 Rises as AI Stocks and Small Caps Rally on Strong Earnings Outlook 
South Korea Inflation Hits Five-Month Low as CPI Reaches Central Bank Target 
Japan Election Poll Signals Landslide Win for Sanae Takaichi, Raising Fiscal Policy Concerns 
Gold Prices Stabilize in Asian Trade After Sharp Weekly Losses Amid Fed Uncertainty 
The S&P 500 marked its fifth consecutive record close on Friday, driven by strong corporate earnings and optimism over potential trade agreements. At the 4:00 p.m. ET close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 208 points (0.5%), the S&P 500 added 0.4%, and the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.2%.
Investor sentiment remained upbeat as nearly 83% of the 155 S&P 500 companies that have reported so far exceeded Wall Street estimates, pushing both the S&P and Nasdaq to fresh intraday and closing highs this week.
Trade developments also buoyed markets. U.S. President Donald Trump indicated a 50-50 chance of finalizing a trade deal with the European Union by Sunday, calling it potentially the biggest agreement among recent negotiations. The European Commission signaled optimism, with talks set to continue ahead of the August 1 deadline. Meanwhile, U.S. and Chinese officials are scheduled to meet in Stockholm next week to extend negotiations following earlier tariff-reduction agreements in May and June.
On the corporate front, Intel shares fell after projecting steeper third-quarter losses than analysts expected and announcing plans to reduce its workforce to 75,000 by year-end, a 22% cut from 2024 levels. Conversely, Deckers’ stock surged as strong first-quarter sales from its Hoka and Ugg brands exceeded forecasts. Paramount Global also edged higher after the Federal Communications Commission approved its $8 billion merger with Skydance Media.
With earnings season in full swing and major trade negotiations underway, investors are closely watching for signs of continued momentum in U.S. equities, which have rallied to historic levels despite lingering global trade tensions and cautious corporate guidance.
