Australian Business Conditions Hold Steady as Easing Cost Pressures Face New Oil Price Risks 
China Q2 2026 GDP Misses Forecast as Weak Domestic Demand Offsets Export Strength 
Asian Currencies Stay Rangebound as Middle East Tensions, Weak China GDP Weigh on Sentiment 
Australia Consumer Sentiment Rises in July as Fuel Price Relief Lifts Confidence 
Gold Price Holds Near $4,000 as Middle East Tensions and Fed Rate Hike Bets Grow 
Dollar Holds Steady Ahead of U.S. CPI as Oil Surge, Middle East Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 
U.S. Imposes 25% Tariff on Select Brazilian Imports After Section 301 Trade Investigation 
China Trade Surplus Hits $125.6 Billion as June Exports, Imports Smash Forecasts 
US Stock Futures Hold Steady as Soft Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Fears 
Gold Prices Slip as Oil Rally Fuels Inflation Fears, Strengthens Dollar 
China Home Prices Fall Again in June Despite Slower Pace of Decline 
Japanese Yen Holds Steady as Intervention Hopes Grow Ahead of U.S. CPI Data 
Oil Prices Surge as U.S.-Iran Conflict Escalates and Strait of Hormuz Risks Grow 
Oil Prices Climb as Trump Escalates Iran Pressure, Strait of Hormuz Risks Grow 
Goldman Sees Foreign Investors Driving India Stock Market Recovery 
Asian Stocks Slide as Oil Surge, U.S.-Iran Tensions and Fed Rate Bets Weigh on Markets 
South Korea’s KOSPI Enters Bear Market Despite Remaining 2026’s Best-Performing Major Stock Index 
U.S. stock index futures edged higher on Sunday evening, pointing to a slightly stronger start for Wall Street as renewed optimism around artificial intelligence and a rebound in technology stocks helped support investor sentiment. S&P 500 futures climbed about 0.2% to 6,902 points, while Nasdaq 100 futures rose 0.3% to 25,647.75 points. Dow Jones futures were also modestly higher, gaining around 0.2% in early evening trading.
The positive tone follows an uneven finish to last week’s trading. The S&P 500 ended marginally higher, while the Nasdaq Composite outperformed with a weekly gain of roughly 0.5%, driven largely by a recovery in major technology and semiconductor names. In contrast, the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined about 0.7% over the same period, reflecting continued rotation within the market.
Trading volumes are expected to remain relatively light in the coming days as U.S. markets enter a holiday-shortened week. Wall Street is scheduled to close early on Wednesday and remain closed on Thursday for Christmas Day, a dynamic that often reduces liquidity and can amplify short-term price movements.
Technology stocks have remained a key focus after Micron Technology delivered a strong outlook last week, reviving enthusiasm for AI-related shares. The forecast helped ease recent concerns surrounding elevated valuations, heavy capital investment requirements, and whether long-term demand growth can justify current pricing levels across the sector.
Adding to the momentum, Oracle shares surged after reports that TikTok had agreed to sell its U.S. operations to a newly formed joint venture, with Oracle expected to play a central role in providing cloud and data infrastructure. The development boosted Oracle and contributed to broader gains among large-cap tech stocks.
Broader market sentiment also benefited from softer-than-expected U.S. inflation data released last week. The cooling consumer price index strengthened expectations that the Federal Reserve could cut interest rates sooner in 2026, pushing Treasury yields lower and providing additional support for equities. Investors continue to monitor signals around future monetary policy and leadership changes at the Fed, which remain important drivers for U.S. stock markets.
