Australian Business Conditions Hold Steady as Easing Cost Pressures Face New Oil Price Risks 
Gold Price Holds Near Record High as Cooling U.S. Inflation Offsets Fed Caution 
Australia Consumer Sentiment Rises in July as Fuel Price Relief Lifts Confidence 
Dollar Rises as Middle East Conflict Fuels Inflation and Rate Hike Fears 
Goldman Sees Foreign Investors Driving India Stock Market Recovery 
China Q2 2026 GDP Misses Forecast as Weak Domestic Demand Offsets Export Strength 
Oil Prices Surge as U.S.-Iran Conflict Escalates and Strait of Hormuz Risks Grow 
Asian Stocks Rally as Cooling U.S. Inflation Boosts Fed Rate Cut Hopes 
Iraq PM Visits Washington as U.S. Oil, Gas Deals Take Center Stage 
ECB's Kocher Says No Inflation Spillover Yet From Iran Conflict, Warns Risks Remain 
Dollar Slides as Softer US Inflation Dims Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
South Korea Central Bank Set to Raise Interest Rates as Inflation Stays Elevated 
Oil Prices Climb as Trump Escalates Iran Pressure, Strait of Hormuz Risks Grow 
Gold Prices Fall as US-Iran Conflict, Rising Oil Prices Fuel Fed Rate Concerns 
Asian Currencies Stay Rangebound as Middle East Tensions, Weak China GDP Weigh on Sentiment 
China Home Prices Fall Again in June Despite Slower Pace of Decline 
U.S. stock index futures traded mostly flat on Monday evening as investors remained cautious ahead of the latest U.S. consumer inflation report and ongoing tensions in the Middle East. Market sentiment was also influenced by expectations surrounding a potential meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping later this week.
S&P 500 Futures held near 7,438 points, while Dow Jones Futures stayed relatively unchanged at 49,802 points. Nasdaq 100 Futures posted slight gains, supported by continued optimism surrounding artificial intelligence and semiconductor stocks. Wall Street closed at fresh record highs on Monday, with chipmakers once again leading the rally.
The S&P 500 finished up 0.2% at a record 7,412.87, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average also gained 0.2%. The Nasdaq Composite edged 0.1% higher as investors continued to favor technology and AI-related companies.
Attention is now firmly focused on Tuesday’s U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, which could provide important clues about inflation trends and the Federal Reserve’s interest rate outlook. Economists expect headline CPI inflation to rise sharply to 3.7% year-over-year, while core inflation is projected to remain stable at 2.7%.
Rising oil prices linked to the Iran conflict have increased concerns about inflationary pressure. Crude prices remain near four-year highs due to supply disruption fears and uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route. Higher energy prices have already started impacting domestic fuel costs and investor expectations for future Fed rate cuts.
Geopolitical tensions also weighed on sentiment after President Trump reportedly rejected Iran’s latest proposal aimed at ending the conflict. Comments suggesting possible renewed U.S. involvement in securing the Strait of Hormuz further increased market uncertainty.
Investors are now closely monitoring inflation data, oil prices, and geopolitical developments for direction on Wall Street and global financial markets in 2026.
