European EV Sales Surge in April 2026 as Tesla and Chinese Automakers Gain Ground 
Oil Prices Jump After New U.S. Strikes on Iran Raise Supply Concerns 
New World Screwworm Found Near U.S. Border Raises Threat to Cattle Industry and Beef Prices 
Gold Prices Slip as Stronger Dollar and Iran Peace Talk Uncertainty Weigh on Market 
Asian Currencies Steady as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Extension Hopes Weigh on Dollar 
Wall Street Hits New Highs as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Talks Boost Market Sentiment 
European Stocks Rise as AI Optimism Offsets U.S.-Iran Tensions 
S&P 500, Nasdaq Hit Record Highs as Iran Ceasefire Talks and AI Rally Boost Markets 
Dollar Gains Slightly as U.S.-Iran Tensions Keep Forex Markets on Edge 
Tokyo Inflation Cools in May, Supporting BOJ’s Cautious Rate Hike Path 
US Launches New Trade Investigation Into Vietnam Over Intellectual Property Concerns 
Gold Prices Hold Near Record Levels as Inflation Concerns Offset Middle East Ceasefire Hopes 
U.S. Launches New Strikes on Iran as Trump Signals Peace Deal Uncertainty 
Wall Street Reaches New Record Highs as AI Boom and Iran Ceasefire Hopes Boost Markets 
Oil Prices Set for Sharp Weekly Losses as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Hopes Ease Supply Concerns 
South Korea Central Bank Holds Interest Rates Steady Amid Inflation Concerns 
Canada and Germany Advance Major LNG Supply Partnership 
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.
