Dollar Eases as Middle East Conflict, Fed Outlook and Japan Pension Policy Drive FX Markets 
Gold Price Holds Near $4,000 as Middle East Tensions and Fed Rate Hike Bets Grow 
Asian Stocks Rally as Cooling U.S. Inflation Boosts Fed Rate Cut Hopes 
South Korea’s KOSPI Triggers Trading Curb as AI Chip Stock Selloff Deepens 
Asian Stocks Rise as Softer U.S. Inflation Boosts Sentiment Despite Middle East Tensions 
Dollar Slides as Softer US Inflation Dims Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
Gold Price Holds Near Record High as Cooling U.S. Inflation Offsets Fed Caution 
South Korea Raises Interest Rates to 2.75% as Inflation and Weak Won Drive Tightening 
European Stocks Slip as Middle East Tensions and Hormuz Threat Rattle Markets 
Oil Prices Rise as U.S. Strikes on Iran Raise Strait of Hormuz Supply Fears 
Singapore GDP Grows 5.7% in Q2 2026 as AI-Driven Manufacturing Boosts Economy 
China Trade Surplus Hits $125.6 Billion as June Exports, Imports Smash Forecasts 
UBS Boosts China Tech Bets, Adds Kuaishou and Meituan to Focus List 
China Q2 2026 GDP Misses Forecast as Weak Domestic Demand Offsets Export Strength 
Port of Los Angeles Posts Record June Cargo Volume as Importers Rush Ahead of U.S. Tariffs 
Australian Business Conditions Hold Steady as Easing Cost Pressures Face New Oil Price Risks 
U.S. stock futures edged lower on Sunday evening as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of a busy week filled with major corporate earnings and crucial economic data. The pullback follows weakness in technology stocks last week, sparked largely by Microsoft’s latest earnings report, which raised fresh questions about the timing and returns of heavy artificial intelligence investments.
S&P 500 futures dipped around 0.2% to 6,955.75 points, while Nasdaq 100 futures slid 0.3% to 25,607.75 points. Dow Jones futures were also modestly lower, down 0.1% at 48,984 points. The softer tone comes after U.S. equities finished last week in negative territory, with the Nasdaq Composite leading declines as investors reassessed optimistic assumptions around AI-driven growth.
Market sentiment weakened after Microsoft reported solid revenue growth but failed to fully convince investors that its massive spending on AI infrastructure will deliver meaningful profits in the near term. The results pressured broader technology shares and reignited concerns that big-ticket AI investments across the sector may take longer to pay off than previously expected. Adding to uncertainty, a recent Wall Street Journal report indicated that Nvidia’s proposed investment of up to $100 billion in OpenAI has stalled due to internal concerns, further weighing on AI-related stocks.
Attention now turns to earnings from other megacap technology companies that could shape near-term market direction. Alphabet, Google’s parent company, is set to report results on Tuesday, with investors closely watching advertising demand, cloud computing performance, and guidance on AI-related capital spending. Amazon will follow on Thursday, with focus on Amazon Web Services growth and profit margins in its core retail operations.
Beyond earnings, political and economic developments are also in focus. President Donald Trump’s nomination of Kevin Warsh as Federal Reserve chair has prompted investors to reassess the future path of interest rates and monetary policy. Later in the week, the U.S. January jobs report is expected to show steady employment growth and a stable unemployment rate, data that could further influence market expectations around rates and inflation.
