South Korea Assures U.S. on Trade Deal Commitments Amid Tariff Concerns 
Gold Prices Slide Below $5,000 as Strong Dollar and Central Bank Outlook Weigh on Metals 
U.S. Stock Futures Edge Higher as Tech Rout Deepens on AI Concerns and Earnings 
Vietnam’s Trade Surplus With US Jumps as Exports Surge and China Imports Hit Record 
Gold and Silver Prices Rebound After Volatile Week Triggered by Fed Nomination 
Trump Signs Executive Order Threatening 25% Tariffs on Countries Trading With Iran 
Global Markets Slide as AI, Crypto, and Precious Metals Face Heightened Volatility 
Thailand Inflation Remains Negative for 10th Straight Month in January 
Dollar Near Two-Week High as Stock Rout, AI Concerns and Global Events Drive Market Volatility 
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility 
Silver Prices Plunge in Asian Trade as Dollar Strength Triggers Fresh Precious Metals Sell-Off 
Oil Prices Slide on US-Iran Talks, Dollar Strength and Profit-Taking Pressure 
Bank of Japan Signals Readiness for Near-Term Rate Hike as Inflation Nears Target 
Trump Lifts 25% Tariff on Indian Goods in Strategic U.S.–India Trade and Energy Deal 
Asian Markets Slip as AI Spending Fears Shake Tech, Wall Street Futures Rebound 
Oil Prices Slip as U.S.–Iran Talks Ease Supply Disruption Fears 
U.S. stock index futures declined Thursday amid escalating Middle East tensions and uncertainty over recent U.S.-China trade developments. Dow E-minis dropped 269 points (0.63%), S&P 500 E-minis fell 25.5 points (0.42%), and Nasdaq 100 E-minis slid 74 points (0.34%).
Investors showed caution after an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed in Ahmedabad, India, with over 200 passengers on board. Boeing shares (NYSE:BA) plunged 7.6% in premarket trading. The incident added to broader risk-off sentiment already pressured by geopolitical risks.
President Donald Trump announced the repositioning of U.S. personnel in the Middle East, calling it a “dangerous place,” and warned Iran against pursuing nuclear weapons. An Iranian official responded by threatening U.S. bases if nuclear talks fail. The developments come ahead of a sixth round of U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations.
In trade news, China confirmed a consensus on a trade agreement with the U.S., urging both sides to honor the deal. Markets await further details from this week’s two-day talks in London, as investor focus remains on tariff impacts and global economic stability.
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) fell 1.7% and Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) lost 1.1%, tracking broader tech weakness. In contrast, Oracle (NYSE:ORCL) jumped 7.7% after raising its revenue forecast on surging AI-related demand.
Gold prices rose, boosting U.S.-listed gold miners. Newmont climbed 1.5%, Harmony Gold gained 3.5%, and AngloGold Ashanti advanced 4.2%. Oklo shares slid 5.8% after launching a $400 million stock offering.
Markets also await May’s Producer Price Index and initial jobless claims, due later today. Citigroup (NYSE:C) analysts noted tariff effects may intensify in late summer, while current inflation appears muted.
The S&P 500 is now 2% below its February peak, while the Nasdaq is 2.7% off its December high.
