Oil Prices Set for Weekly Surge as U.S.-Iran Conflict Fuels Supply Fears 
Malaysia Q2 Economy Grows 5.8%, Beating Forecasts on Strong Tech Exports and Domestic Demand 
Port of Los Angeles Posts Record June Cargo Volume as Importers Rush Ahead of U.S. Tariffs 
Gold Prices Slip as Oil Rally Fuels Inflation Fears, Strengthens Dollar 
U.S. Imposes 25% Tariff on Select Brazilian Imports After Section 301 Trade Investigation 
Asian Stocks Slide as Nikkei Leads Losses on Tech Selloff and Rising U.S.-Iran Tensions 
Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Middle East Tensions Offset Weaker US Dollar 
Japan Core Inflation Seen Rising in June, Strengthening BOJ Rate Hike Outlook 
UBS Boosts China Tech Bets, Adds Kuaishou and Meituan to Focus List 
Asian Currencies Stay Rangebound as Middle East Tensions, Weak China GDP Weigh on Sentiment 
AI Chip Stocks Face Valuation Pressure as Investors Shift Toward Big Tech and Software 
US Stock Futures Hold Steady as Soft Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Fears 
South Korea Raises Interest Rates to 2.75% as Inflation and Weak Won Drive Tightening 
Gold Price Holds Near Record High as Cooling U.S. Inflation Offsets Fed Caution 
South Korea’s KOSPI Enters Bear Market Despite Remaining 2026’s Best-Performing Major Stock Index 
Asian Stocks Rise as Softer U.S. Inflation Boosts Sentiment Despite Middle East Tensions 
Asian Stocks Slide as Chip Selloff Deepens Ahead of TSMC Earnings 
U.S. stock futures held steady Sunday evening after a volatile February, as investors weighed upcoming tariffs and economic data. S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures each rose 0.1%, while Dow Jones futures remained flat.
The market remains cautious ahead of new tariffs set to take effect on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed that President Donald Trump will finalize tariff levels on imports from Mexico, Canada, and China. While an initial 25% tariff was proposed, Trump is expected to raise an additional 10% tariff on China. February’s market losses were largely driven by concerns over these tariffs and shifting expectations in the tech sector, especially around artificial intelligence. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 4% in February, with the S&P 500 and Dow Jones down 1.5% and 1.6%, respectively.
Economic data suggests the U.S. economy started 2025 on weak footing. Despite the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates by 100 basis points last year, inflation remained persistent. The PCE price index rose 0.3% in January, marking a 2.5% annual increase, slightly below December’s 2.6%. Core inflation slowed to 2.6% year-over-year. However, consumer sentiment declined 0.2%, its first drop in two years, due to inflation and tariff concerns.
The Atlanta Federal Reserve now forecasts 1.5% annualized GDP growth for Q1 2025, down from 2.3% in Q4 2024. Analysts warn that Trump’s trade policies are impacting consumer confidence and spending. The combination of trade uncertainty, slowing growth, and persistent inflation is shaping a complex economic landscape for investors.
