Fed Rate Cut Signals Balance Between Inflation and Jobs, Says Mary Daly 
Wall Street Futures Slip as Tech Stocks Struggle Ahead of Key US Economic Data 
Australian Consumer Sentiment Slumps in Early December as Inflation Fears Resurface 
Japan PMI Data Signals Manufacturing Stabilization as Services Continue to Drive Growth 
Bank of Korea Downplays Liquidity’s Role in Weak Won and Housing Price Surge 
Asian Technology and Chipmaking Stocks Slide as AI Spending Concerns Shake Markets 
Japan Business Sentiment Hits Four-Year High, Boosting Expectations of BOJ Rate Hike 
S&P 500 Slides as AI Chip Stocks Tumble, Cooling Tech Rally 
Dollar Struggles as Markets Eye Key Central Bank Decisions and Global Rate Outlooks 
U.S. Dollar Slips Near Two-Month Low as Markets Await Key Jobs Data and Central Bank Decisions 
Gold Prices Slip Slightly in Asia as Silver Nears Record Highs on Dovish Fed Outlook 
Gold and Silver Prices Dip as Markets Await Key U.S. Economic Data 
Bank of Japan Poised for Historic Rate Hike as Inflation Pressures Persist 
Oil Prices Rebound as U.S.-Venezuela Tensions Offset Oversupply Concerns 
China’s November Economic Data Signals Slowing Industrial Output and Weak Consumer Demand 
New Zealand Budget Outlook Shows Prolonged Deficits Despite Economic Recovery Hopes 
U.S. stock futures turned higher Thursday evening after China’s commerce ministry announced it was considering trade talks with Washington. The positive signal helped offset investor concerns over weaker corporate earnings and ongoing tariff pressures.
S&P 500 Futures climbed 0.6% to 5,654.75, Nasdaq 100 Futures rose 0.3% to 19,920.50, and Dow Jones Futures advanced 0.7% to 41,151.0 as of 21:19 ET (01:19 GMT). Earlier, futures dipped following mixed earnings, but the market rebounded on hopes of de-escalating U.S.-China trade tensions.
Beijing stated that any negotiations must be based on sincerity and the removal of unilateral tariffs. This came after the U.S. sent signals through multiple channels expressing interest in dialogue.
Despite broader optimism, extended trading saw declines in major tech stocks. Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) dropped 3.8% after warning of $900 million in upcoming tariff-related costs. Although Apple beat Wall Street expectations in Q2 with strong iPhone sales, the tariff impact dampened sentiment. Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) also fell nearly 3% post-market after issuing weaker-than-expected guidance. The e-commerce giant forecast Q2 operating income between $13.0 billion and $17.5 billion, below analysts’ expectations, with cloud growth underwhelming.
Thursday’s regular session ended higher, led by gains in tech. The NASDAQ rose 1.5%, S&P 500 gained 0.6%, and the Dow added 0.2%. Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) surged over 7% on strong earnings and bullish cloud growth projections, while Meta (NASDAQ:META) jumped more than 4% after raising capex guidance for 2025.
Elsewhere, McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) slipped over 1% on weaker Q1 global sales, and Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) plunged 11% due to disappointing Zepbound weight-loss drug revenue. Weekly jobless claims rose by 18,000, signaling possible layoffs ahead of the key nonfarm payrolls report.
