US Stock Futures Slip After Wall Street Rally Fueled by US-Iran Deal and Chipmaker Surge 
Asian Stocks Surge as Oil Prices Fall and Strong US Dollar Weighs on Markets 
BOJ Signals More Rate Hikes as Inflation Risks Rise Amid Energy Price Pressures 
US Stock Futures Jump on Reports of Preliminary US-Iran Peace Deal Despite Fed’s Hawkish Outlook 
Trump Says No Hormuz Strait Tolls During 60-Day Iran Ceasefire 
Yen Near 40-Year Lows Despite BOJ Rate Hike, Markets Brace for Possible Intervention 
Fed Chair Kevin Warsh Signals Policy Overhaul as Hawkish Rate Outlook Rattles Markets 
German Industry Employment Falls to Lowest Level in a Decade 
Asian Currencies Steady as Dollar Holds Firm Ahead of Fed Decision and US-Iran Deal Details 
Gold Prices Slide as Hawkish Fed and Strong Dollar Weigh on Bullion 
Oil Prices Slide as U.S.-Iran Deal and Hormuz Reopening Ease Supply Concerns 
Dollar Hits One-Month High as Hawkish Fed Outlook Boosts Greenback 
Asian Stocks Rally as Japan and South Korea Reach Record Highs on US-Iran Peace Deal 
Australia Eases Capital Gains Tax Reforms to Support Small Businesses and Startups 
Canada Imposes 10% Tariff on Canned Vegetable Imports to Protect Domestic Industry 
Japan Signals Readiness to Intervene as USD/JPY Nears 161 Amid Yen Weakness 
Japan Inflation Stays Below BOJ Target Despite Rate Hike and Rising Energy Cost Risks 
U.S. stock index futures gained on Wednesday evening, extending Wall Street’s momentum after a technology-led rally. Investors largely shrugged off mounting global and political risks, instead turning their attention to an upcoming speech by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, which could offer fresh clues on the central bank’s interest rate outlook.
S&P 500 Futures rose 0.1% to 6,806.75, Nasdaq 100 Futures climbed 0.2% to 25,370.75, and Dow Jones Futures added 0.1% to 46,895.0 by 20:04 ET (00:04 GMT). The optimism followed a strong session for U.S. equities, powered by big tech names and expectations of further monetary easing.
The Federal Reserve’s September meeting minutes, released Wednesday, indicated that most policymakers supported more rate cuts to cushion a cooling labor market. However, there was uncertainty about how far rates should fall given that inflation remains stubbornly high. Dovish voices like Governor Stephen Miran pushed for a 50-basis-point cut, though most officials favored a smaller move.
Markets are now focused on Powell’s remarks scheduled for Thursday at 08:30 ET (12:30 GMT), as traders price in another 25-basis-point rate cut in October, according to CME FedWatch data. The ongoing partial U.S. government shutdown has delayed several key economic reports, adding to uncertainty over the strength of the economy.
Despite political gridlock and global worries — including concerns over Japan’s fiscal health and political turmoil in France — investor sentiment remained upbeat. Gold prices surged to new highs as safe-haven demand grew amid global instability.
Wall Street rallied Wednesday, with the S&P 500 gaining 0.6% to a record 6,753.72 and the Nasdaq Composite jumping 1.1% to 23,043.38. Tech shares led the charge, driven by NVIDIA’s 2% rise after CEO Jensen Huang highlighted surging AI-driven demand and confirmed an investment in Elon Musk’s xAI. The market now looks ahead to the third-quarter earnings season, with reports from PepsiCo, Delta Air Lines, and major Wall Street banks on deck.
