US Stock Futures Hold Steady as Soft Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Fears 
Oil Prices Rise as U.S. Strikes on Iran Raise Strait of Hormuz Supply Fears 
Oil Prices Climb as Trump Escalates Iran Pressure, Strait of Hormuz Risks Grow 
AI Chip Stocks Face Valuation Pressure as Investors Shift Toward Big Tech and Software 
US Inflation Expected to Ease in June, but Fed Rate Hike Risks Persist Amid Middle East Tensions 
Asian Currencies Stay Rangebound as Middle East Tensions, Weak China GDP Weigh on Sentiment 
UBS Boosts China Tech Bets, Adds Kuaishou and Meituan to Focus List 
Japan Core Inflation Seen Rising in June, Strengthening BOJ Rate Hike Outlook 
Brazil Weighs IP Curbs, Patent Suspensions After New U.S. Tariffs 
IEA Warns China Rare Earth Export Curbs Could Threaten $6.5 Trillion in Global Production 
China Home Prices Fall Again in June Despite Slower Pace of Decline 
Asian Stocks Rally as Cooling U.S. Inflation Boosts Fed Rate Cut Hopes 
Asian Stocks Rise as Softer U.S. Inflation Boosts Sentiment Despite Middle East Tensions 
Nikkei Plunges 5% as AI Stock Selloff Spreads Across Asia 
Asian Stocks Slide as Chip Selloff Deepens Ahead of TSMC Earnings 
Gold Price Holds Near Record High as Cooling U.S. Inflation Offsets Fed Caution 
Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Middle East Tensions Offset Weaker US Dollar 
U.S. stock index futures dipped Monday night following Wall Street's weak first-quarter performance, as recession fears mounted ahead of President Donald Trump’s upcoming tariff announcements.
S&P 500 Futures dropped 0.4% to 5,633.50, while Nasdaq 100 Futures slid 0.5% to 19,351.50. Dow Jones Futures edged down 0.2% to 42,177.0 by 8:05 PM ET. The pullback reflects growing investor anxiety as Trump's trade policy gains momentum.
Set for April 2, Trump’s new "reciprocal tariffs" will target a wide range of trading partners with no exemptions. The following day, a 25% tariff on auto imports will take effect. These measures aim to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign goods and revive domestic manufacturing but risk disrupting global trade and fueling economic downturn concerns.
A Wall Street Journal report noted Trump’s consideration of expanding tariffs to more countries, escalating fears of a trade war. In response, Goldman Sachs raised the likelihood of a U.S. recession from 20% to 35%, projecting average tariff rates to climb to 15%.
Markets have already responded with volatility. Despite a 0.6% gain on Monday, the S&P 500 posted a 5% loss for Q1 2025. The Nasdaq ended flat for the day but plunged over 10% for the quarter. The Dow gained 1% Monday yet still lost 2% for the quarter. All three indexes closed lower for March.
Market leaders struggled too. NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) fell 1.2% Monday and tumbled 20% in Q1. Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) sank over 35% for the quarter and is under pressure ahead of this week’s delivery report, facing protests tied to CEO Elon Musk’s political actions.
Investors brace for a turbulent start to Q2 as policy uncertainty looms.
