China’s Small Bank Consolidation Struggles as Profits Fall and Risks Persist 
Gold and Silver Surge as Safe Haven Demand Rises on U.S. Economic Uncertainty 
RBA Unlikely to Cut Interest Rates in 2026 as Inflation Pressures Persist, Says Westpac 
Bank of Japan Poised for Historic Rate Hike as Inflation Pressures Persist 
Japan Exports to U.S. Rebound in November as Tariff Impact Eases, Boosting BOJ Rate Hike Expectations 
Asian Stocks Slide as AI Valuation Fears and BOJ Uncertainty Weigh on Markets 
Asian Technology and Chipmaking Stocks Slide as AI Spending Concerns Shake Markets 
Asian Currencies Trade Sideways as Dollar Weakens Ahead of Key U.S. Data 
Asian Stocks Edge Higher as Tech Recovers, U.S. Economic Uncertainty Caps Gains 
Asian Currencies Slip as Dollar Strengthens; Indian Rupee Rebounds on Intervention Hopes 
Korea Zinc to Build $7.4 Billion Critical Minerals Refinery in Tennessee With U.S. Government Backing 
Gold and Silver Prices Dip as Markets Await Key U.S. Economic Data 
Dollar Struggles as Markets Eye Key Central Bank Decisions and Global Rate Outlooks 
Australian Consumer Sentiment Slumps in Early December as Inflation Fears Resurface 
Bank of Korea Downplays Liquidity’s Role in Weak Won and Housing Price Surge 
Trump Orders Blockade of Sanctioned Oil Tankers, Raising Venezuela Tensions and Oil Prices 
U.S. stock index futures edged higher Tuesday evening following President Donald Trump's announcement of a trade agreement with Japan, which included a 15% tariff on Japanese exports to the U.S. The move, while lighter than the initially proposed 25%, signals ongoing progress ahead of the August 1 tariff deadline. Trump also revealed Japan’s commitment to invest $550 billion in the U.S. and open its markets further to American cars and agriculture, including rice.
The trade news helped support sentiment after a mixed Wall Street session. While the S&P 500 reached a new record high at 6,309.59, gains were muted by losses in major technology stocks. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.4% to 20,892.69, pressured by chipmakers after Texas Instruments (NASDAQ:TXN) issued a disappointing quarterly outlook. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.4% to 44,502.19.
Futures reflected modest optimism: S&P 500 Futures rose 0.2% to 6,358.50, Nasdaq 100 Futures gained 0.1% to 23,249.0, and Dow Futures added 0.2% to 44,795.0 as of 00:03 GMT.
Investors are now awaiting Q2 earnings reports from Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) and Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) due after the bell Wednesday. Tesla’s report is expected to show margin pressure due to weak vehicle sales and a price war in China. Market watchers are also eager for updates on Tesla’s AI and robotics ventures. Alphabet’s results will offer insight into AI-driven growth and the company’s infrastructure investments, as it remains a key player in the AI hyperscaler space.
Additional earnings are expected from IBM (NYSE:IBM), ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW), AT&T (NYSE:T), NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE), and Moody’s (NYSE:MCO), providing broader cues for market direction. Traders remain cautious amid lingering concerns about trade policy and inflation risks.
