ECB's Kocher Says No Inflation Spillover Yet From Iran Conflict, Warns Risks Remain 
US Inflation Expected to Ease in June, but Fed Rate Hike Risks Persist Amid Middle East Tensions 
Asian Stocks Slide as Oil Surge, U.S.-Iran Tensions and Fed Rate Bets Weigh on Markets 
Gold Prices Slip as Oil Rally Fuels Inflation Fears, Strengthens Dollar 
Japanese Yen Holds Steady as Intervention Hopes Grow Ahead of U.S. CPI Data 
Dollar Slides as Softer US Inflation Dims Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
Oil Prices Surge as U.S.-Iran Conflict Escalates and Strait of Hormuz Risks Grow 
Australia Consumer Sentiment Rises in July as Fuel Price Relief Lifts Confidence 
Goldman Sees Foreign Investors Driving India Stock Market Recovery 
U.S. Imposes 25% Tariff on Select Brazilian Imports After Section 301 Trade Investigation 
US Stock Futures Hold Steady as Soft Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Fears 
China Home Prices Fall Again in June Despite Slower Pace of Decline 
Oil Prices Rise as U.S. Strikes on Iran Raise Strait of Hormuz Supply Fears 
China Trade Surplus Hits $125.6 Billion as June Exports, Imports Smash Forecasts 
Oil Prices Climb as Trump Escalates Iran Pressure, Strait of Hormuz Risks Grow 
Asian Stocks Rise as Softer U.S. Inflation Boosts Sentiment Despite Middle East Tensions 
Gold Price Holds Near Record High as Cooling U.S. Inflation Offsets Fed Caution 
U.S. stock futures rose slightly on Sunday evening, extending Wall Street’s upbeat momentum after a strong October driven by optimism around artificial intelligence, robust corporate earnings, and easing U.S.-China trade tensions.
As of 19:30 ET (00:30 GMT), S&P 500 futures climbed 0.3% to 6,896.50 points, Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.4% to 26,107.0, and Dow Jones futures edged up 0.3% to 47,846.0.
The positive trend followed a strong close to October, where the S&P 500 advanced 2.3%, marking its sixth consecutive monthly gain. The Nasdaq Composite surged 4.7% during the month, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 2.5%. Market confidence was fueled by renewed enthusiasm for AI innovation and better-than-expected earnings from major tech firms.
Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) rallied nearly 10% after strong cloud division growth and an upbeat forecast. Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL), and Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) also posted solid gains after reporting robust quarterly results, reinforcing investor faith in the technology sector’s resilience.
Adding to the optimism, the Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 3.75%–4.00%, its first reduction in months. Although Chair Jerome Powell cautioned that future cuts are uncertain, markets viewed the move as a positive sign of support for economic growth amid moderating inflation.
Investor sentiment was further lifted by signs of easing trade friction between Washington and Beijing. Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping agreed to scale back certain tariffs and delay export restrictions, signaling progress in U.S.-China relations.
Looking ahead, traders are watching upcoming corporate earnings from major firms including Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD), Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:PLTR), Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM), Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER), and McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD), which could provide key insights into tech and consumer sector performance.
