Korea Zinc Plans $6.78 Billion U.S. Smelter Investment With Government Partnership 
Russia Stocks End Flat as Energy and Retail Shares Show Mixed Performance 
Dollar Struggles as Markets Eye Key Central Bank Decisions and Global Rate Outlooks 
Gold Prices Dip as Markets Absorb Dovish Fed Outlook; Silver Eases After Record High 
South Korea Extends Bond Market Stabilization Measures Amid Rising Financial Risks 
Asian Stocks Rally as Tech Rebounds, China Lags on Nvidia Competition Concerns 
Ireland Limits Planned Trade Ban on Israeli Settlements to Goods Only 
China’s November Economic Data Signals Slowing Industrial Output and Weak Consumer Demand 
Oil Prices Rebound in Asia as Venezuela Sanctions Risks Offset Ukraine Peace Hopes 
Oil Prices Rebound as U.S.-Venezuela Tensions Offset Oversupply Concerns 
Gold Prices Slip Slightly in Asia as Silver Nears Record Highs on Dovish Fed Outlook 
Asian Stocks Slide as Central Bank Decisions and Key Data Keep Investors Cautious 
Modi and Trump Hold Phone Call as India Seeks Relief From U.S. Tariffs Over Russian Oil Trade 
U.S. Stock Futures Mixed as Tech and AI Stocks Face Pressure Ahead of CPI Data 
Indonesia–U.S. Tariff Talks Near Completion as Both Sides Push for Year-End Deal 
Asian Currencies Steady as Fed Delivers Hawkish Rate Cut; Aussie and Rupee Under Pressure 
Fed Rate Cut Signals Balance Between Inflation and Jobs, Says Mary Daly 
U.S. stock futures ticked up Thursday evening after Wall Street closed at record highs, fueled by a rally in Intel and optimism over the Federal Reserve’s first rate cut since December. By 20:16 ET (00:16 GMT), S&P 500 Futures rose 0.2% to 6,704.75, Nasdaq 100 Futures climbed 0.2% to 24,747.75, and Dow Jones Futures gained 0.2% to 46,601.
In regular trading, the S&P 500 advanced 0.5% to 6,631.95, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.3% to 46,142.24, and the NASDAQ Composite jumped 0.9% to 22,470.73 — all marking fresh record closes.
Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) surged more than 22% after Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) announced a $5 billion investment in the chipmaker, with plans to collaborate on data center and PC processors. The partnership seeks to merge Intel’s x86 architecture and large-scale manufacturing with Nvidia’s AI and graphics platforms, easing investor worries about Intel’s competitive edge.
The deal follows a U.S. government-backed investment in Intel aimed at reviving the struggling chip giant. Nvidia’s involvement gives Intel a critical boost after years of failed turnaround efforts. The news also steadied Nvidia shares, which had dipped earlier in the week amid reports that China directed local tech firms to stop buying its AI chips, a move seen as part of Beijing’s push to strengthen its domestic semiconductor industry.
Broader market sentiment also benefited from the Fed’s 25-basis-point rate cut, lowering the benchmark range to 4.00%-4.25%. Officials projected two more cuts in 2025 and another in 2026. Fed Chair Jerome Powell described the decision as a “risk-management cut,” noting persistent inflation and uneven economic signals. He emphasized that future easing will depend on economic data rather than committing to an aggressive cutting cycle.
