Gold Price Holds Near $4,000 as Middle East Tensions and Fed Rate Hike Bets Grow 
US Stock Futures Hold Steady as Soft Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Fears 
China Trade Surplus Hits $125.6 Billion as June Exports, Imports Smash Forecasts 
IEA Warns China Rare Earth Export Curbs Could Threaten $6.5 Trillion in Global Production 
China Home Prices Fall Again in June Despite Slower Pace of Decline 
Oil Prices Surge as U.S.-Iran Conflict Escalates and Strait of Hormuz Risks Grow 
Australian Business Conditions Hold Steady as Easing Cost Pressures Face New Oil Price Risks 
UBS Boosts China Tech Bets, Adds Kuaishou and Meituan to Focus List 
South Korea’s KOSPI Enters Bear Market Despite Remaining 2026’s Best-Performing Major Stock Index 
South Korea Raises Interest Rates to 2.75% as Inflation and Weak Won Drive Tightening 
Dollar Holds Steady Ahead of U.S. CPI as Oil Surge, Middle East Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 
Oil Prices Rise as U.S. Strikes on Iran Raise Strait of Hormuz Supply Fears 
Japanese Yen Holds Steady as Intervention Hopes Grow Ahead of U.S. CPI Data 
Asian Stocks Rise as Softer U.S. Inflation Boosts Sentiment Despite Middle East Tensions 
Dollar Slides as Softer US Inflation Dims Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
Asian Currencies Stay Rangebound as Middle East Tensions, Weak China GDP Weigh on Sentiment 
ECB's Kocher Says No Inflation Spillover Yet From Iran Conflict, Warns Risks Remain 
U.S. stock index futures edged lower Monday evening following a strong regular session rally driven by technology stocks, while oil prices eased slightly amid ongoing uncertainty in the Middle East. S&P 500 Futures slipped 0.2% to 6,745.0, Nasdaq 100 Futures dropped 0.2% to 24,844.0, and Dow Jones Futures declined 0.2% to 47,207.0 around 8:24 PM ET.
Earlier in the session, all three major benchmarks posted solid gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0.8%, the S&P 500 climbed 1.0%, and the Nasdaq Composite surged 1.2%, with technology stocks leading the charge. Chipmakers were among the top performers after Nvidia's annual developer conference drew significant investor optimism. CEO Jensen Huang projected up to $1 trillion in cumulative orders for its Blackwell and Vera Rubin AI systems through 2027, boosting confidence across the semiconductor sector.
Easing crude oil prices also supported equities during the regular session, offering some relief after a prolonged surge tied to escalating Israel-Iran tensions. However, the conflict's third week kept markets on edge, as continued threats to shipping lanes and energy infrastructure near the Strait of Hormuz — a critical global oil transit corridor — raised supply concerns. President Donald Trump confirmed that a proposed coalition to protect oil tankers through the strait remains under discussion and has not been finalized.
Looking ahead, investors are closely watching the Federal Reserve's policy announcement scheduled for Wednesday. The Fed is broadly expected to hold interest rates steady as policymakers weigh persistent inflation risks against geopolitical headwinds. Markets will pay close attention to updated economic forecasts and any commentary from Fed Chair Jerome Powell regarding the timeline for potential rate cuts. On the earnings front, Lululemon Athletica and DocuSign are set to report quarterly results Tuesday, adding another layer of market interest to an already event-heavy week.
