Dollar Slides as Softer US Inflation Dims Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
Japan Core Inflation Seen Rising in June, Strengthening BOJ Rate Hike Outlook 
Asian Stocks Slide as Nikkei Leads Losses on Tech Selloff and Rising U.S.-Iran Tensions 
UBS Boosts China Tech Bets, Adds Kuaishou and Meituan to Focus List 
Oil Prices Set for Weekly Surge as U.S.-Iran Conflict Fuels Supply Fears 
Port of Los Angeles Posts Record June Cargo Volume as Importers Rush Ahead of U.S. Tariffs 
US Stock Futures Hold Steady as Soft Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Fears 
South Korea Raises Interest Rates to 2.75% as Inflation and Weak Won Drive Tightening 
IEA Warns China Rare Earth Export Curbs Could Threaten $6.5 Trillion in Global Production 
Asian Stocks Slide as Chip Selloff Deepens Ahead of TSMC Earnings 
Gold Prices Head for Biggest Weekly Loss Since June as Fed Rate Outlook Weighs 
China Q2 2026 GDP Misses Forecast as Weak Domestic Demand Offsets Export Strength 
Nikkei Plunges 5% as AI Stock Selloff Spreads Across Asia 
US Stock Futures Fall as Netflix Outlook, Chip Selloff and Iran Tensions Weigh on Markets 
U.S. Imposes 25% Tariff on Select Brazilian Imports After Section 301 Trade Investigation 
Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Middle East Tensions Offset Weaker US Dollar 
Malaysia Q2 Economy Grows 5.8%, Beating Forecasts on Strong Tech Exports and Domestic Demand 
U.S. stock index futures edged lower Wednesday evening as investors awaited key inflation data and monetary policy signals from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. The dip followed a mixed day on Wall Street, where tech stocks outperformed amid ongoing optimism around artificial intelligence, while broader sectors showed weakness.
S&P 500 futures slipped 0.1% to 5,896.25, Nasdaq 100 futures dropped 0.1% to 21,372.25, and Dow Jones futures led declines, down 0.5% to 41,929.0 as of 8:00 p.m. ET.
Markets are now focused on Thursday’s U.S. producer price index (PPI) release, expected to show moderating factory-level inflation for April. The report comes on the heels of softer-than-expected consumer price index (CPI) data, which sparked hopes of potential interest rate cuts if inflation continues to cool.
All eyes are also on Jerome Powell’s speech Thursday, where he will review the Fed’s policy framework. Investors are looking for hints on future rate decisions, especially after the Fed recently held rates steady and signaled caution due to economic uncertainty.
On Wednesday, Wall Street indexes saw varied performance. The Nasdaq climbed 0.7% to 19,146.81, lifted by gains in AI-linked tech stocks like SuperMicro, which surged over 15%, and CoreWeave, up 6.6% during the session before tumbling nearly 8% after hours on margin concerns. The S&P 500 rose 0.1% to 5,892.58, while the Dow fell 0.2% to 42,051.06.
In after-hours trading, UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) dropped more than 7% following a Wall Street Journal report that the company is under DOJ investigation for alleged Medicare fraud. The stock is now down nearly 39% year-to-date, amid rising regulatory pressure and leadership changes.
