Gold Prices Head for Biggest Weekly Loss Since June as Fed Rate Outlook Weighs 
Nikkei Plunges 5% as AI Stock Selloff Spreads Across Asia 
Asian Stocks Rise as Softer U.S. Inflation Boosts Sentiment Despite Middle East Tensions 
AI Chip Stocks Face Valuation Pressure as Investors Shift Toward Big Tech and Software 
China Home Prices Fall Again in June Despite Slower Pace of Decline 
U.S. Imposes 25% Tariff on Select Brazilian Imports After Section 301 Trade Investigation 
UBS Boosts China Tech Bets, Adds Kuaishou and Meituan to Focus List 
Malaysia Q2 Economy Grows 5.8%, Beating Forecasts on Strong Tech Exports and Domestic Demand 
Asian Stocks Slide as Nikkei Leads Losses on Tech Selloff and Rising U.S.-Iran Tensions 
Oil Prices Rise as U.S. Strikes on Iran Raise Strait of Hormuz Supply Fears 
Dollar Slides as Softer US Inflation Dims Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
Brazil Weighs IP Curbs, Patent Suspensions After New U.S. Tariffs 
Gold Price Holds Near Record High as Cooling U.S. Inflation Offsets Fed Caution 
IEA Warns China Rare Earth Export Curbs Could Threaten $6.5 Trillion in Global Production 
US Stock Futures Hold Steady as Soft Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Fears 
Oil Prices Set for Weekly Surge as U.S.-Iran Conflict Fuels Supply Fears 
Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Middle East Tensions Offset Weaker US Dollar 
U.S. stock index futures edged higher in early Asian trading Tuesday, clawing back some losses after a sharp Wall Street sell-off triggered by former President Donald Trump’s renewed criticism of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Trump’s call for “preemptive” interest rate cuts and his past demands for Powell’s removal raised fresh concerns about the Fed’s independence. Powell’s current term runs until May 2026, and any removal attempt remains uncertain.
S&P 500 Futures rose 0.4% to 5,205.0, Nasdaq 100 Futures gained 0.4% to 17,996.50, and Dow Jones Futures were up 0.3% to 38,455.0 by 21:00 ET (01:00 GMT). The gains come after Monday’s steep declines, where the S&P 500 lost 2.4%, the Nasdaq fell 2.6%, and the Dow dropped 2.5%, amid ongoing uncertainty over Trump’s tariff agenda.
Investors remain cautious ahead of key tech earnings, with Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) and Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) set to report this week. Tesla is expected to post a weak quarter due to declining deliveries, limited new models, and political backlash surrounding CEO Elon Musk. Alphabet’s results are anticipated to shed light on artificial intelligence (AI) investment trends.
Skepticism around the AI boom resurfaced after reports that Amazon Web Services paused data center leasing discussions, echoing Microsoft’s earlier move. This uncertainty weighed on AI chip leader Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA), which slipped 0.6% in after-hours trading following a 4.5% drop on Monday.
With Trump’s tariff threats and Powell criticism fueling market volatility, investors are watching upcoming earnings closely for direction, especially from tech giants expected to lead future growth narratives.
