Uranium Prices Could Top $100 as Nuclear Demand Grows 
OPEC+ Expected to Hold October Oil Output Steady 
European Stocks Flat as Iran Tensions, ECB Rate Hike Loom 
Asian Stocks Rally as AI Optimism Fuels Chipmaker Surge 
Singapore Straits Times Index Hits Record High as Banks, Property Stocks Rally 
Yen Rebounds as BOJ Rate Hike Bets Rise 
U.S. Payrolls Seen Rebounding in August as Labor Market Stays Soft 
UK House Prices Fall for First Time Since 2023 
Asian Currencies Mixed as Yen Rallies on BOJ Bets 
US Stock Futures Mixed as Strong Jobs Data Boosts Fed Rate Hike Bets 
Hong Kong Eyes Offshore Yuan Expansion, Deeper China Market Links 
Japan, US Target AI and Chips in $550 Billion Investment Push 
Iran’s Hormuz Oil Pressure Fades as Gulf Crude Flows Continue 
ECB Set for September Rate Hike as Energy Prices Fuel Inflation 
Asian Stocks Rally as Fed Rate Hike Fears Ease 
Iran Vows Tougher Response as U.S. Sanctions Squeeze Economy 
JPMorgan Sees ECB Raising Rates to 2.75% in December 
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U.S. stock futures traded mixed Monday as investors reassessed the Federal Reserve interest rate outlook and prepared for major retail earnings, while developments involving Anthropic, Nvidia and the Strait of Hormuz also drew market attention.
Dow futures slipped 0.1%, while S&P 500 futures gained 0.2% and Nasdaq 100 futures advanced 0.5%. Wall Street's major indices had declined in the previous session after weaker-than-expected U.S. retail sales. Applied Materials shares also fell more than 5% despite an upbeat outlook, weighing on other AI-linked stocks.
Expectations for a near-term Fed rate hike have diminished following recent economic data. Investors will now watch minutes from the Fed's July meeting and preliminary August business activity figures for clues on monetary policy and bond yields. Retail earnings will also dominate the week's calendar, with Walmart, Home Depot, Target and Lowe's scheduled to report.
In artificial intelligence news, Anthropic is targeting annual revenue of roughly $190 billion to $200 billion by 2028, Reuters reported. The ambitious projection could play a major role in determining the AI company's valuation ahead of a potential blockbuster IPO. Anthropic disclosed a $47 billion revenue run rate in May.
Meanwhile, shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz slowed sharply over the weekend amid security concerns and unresolved U.S.-Iran tensions. Kpler data cited by Reuters showed only five commodity vessels crossed Saturday and none Sunday, compared with 31 during the previous weekend. Brent crude futures were down 0.1% at $88.45 per barrel.
China also reported weaker industrial production growth, with July output rising 4.5% year over year, below forecasts of 5% and June's 5.3% increase.
Separately, Nvidia is reportedly discussing an investment of up to $3 billion in SoftBank-backed SB Energy. The company is developing an Ohio data center campus for OpenAI, highlighting Nvidia's growing involvement in financing the infrastructure supporting the global AI boom.
