Tokyo Inflation Cools in May, Supporting BOJ’s Cautious Rate Hike Path 
Oil Prices Fall as Markets Await U.S.-Iran Peace Deal Decision 
UK Grocery Inflation Slows to 3.1% as Supermarket Price Pressures Ease in May 2026 
U.S. Launches New Strikes on Iran as Trump Signals Peace Deal Uncertainty 
ECB’s Philip Lane Warns Middle East Conflict Could Keep Inflation Elevated 
Mega IPOs Like SpaceX and OpenAI Could Reshape S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 Portfolios in 2026 
South Korea Central Bank Holds Interest Rates Steady Amid Inflation Concerns 
US Imposes Fresh Iran Oil Sanctions Despite Progress on Ceasefire Talks 
Dollar Gains Slightly as U.S.-Iran Tensions Keep Forex Markets on Edge 
US Launches New Trade Investigation Into Vietnam Over Intellectual Property Concerns 
Asian Stocks Rally as AI Boom and Iran Ceasefire Progress Lift Market Sentiment 
New World Screwworm Found Near U.S. Border Raises Threat to Cattle Industry and Beef Prices 
European Stocks Rise as AI Optimism Offsets U.S.-Iran Tensions 
Asian Currencies Steady as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Extension Hopes Weigh on Dollar 
Dow Hits Record High as Healthcare and Consumer Stocks Lead Wall Street Rally 
Asian Markets Slide as New U.S. Strikes on Iran Spark Investor Caution 
Wall Street ended the week on a strong note Friday, with major U.S. stock indexes climbing sharply as expectations for a Federal Reserve rate cut in December gained momentum. The rebound helped ease concerns about stretched tech valuations after a turbulent week for global markets.
A broad market rally picked up speed by late morning, lifting the Dow Jones Industrial Average by 493.30 points to 46,245.56. The S&P 500 advanced 0.98% to 6,602.96, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.88% to close at 22,273.08.
The surge followed fresh U.S. labor market data, which showed an unexpected uptick in unemployment—a signal that strengthened the market’s confidence in a potential Fed rate cut. According to CME’s FedWatch tool, traders now see a 73.3% chance of a December cut, up from 39.1% just a day earlier.
Comments from New York Fed President John Williams also boosted sentiment. Once viewed as leaning hawkish, his openness to near-term rate cuts shifted market perception toward a more dovish outlook. Analysts say this helped spark Friday’s strong rebound after Thursday’s broad selloff.
Tech stocks also provided support. Strong earnings from AI-driven leaders like Nvidia helped calm fears that the sector’s rapid gains were unsustainable. With nearly all S&P 500 companies having reported third-quarter results, about 83% have beaten earnings expectations, according to LSEG data.
Global markets were more mixed. European stocks fell for the week amid worries about high tech valuations and optimism around Russia-Ukraine peace efforts, which dragged defense shares lower. Asian markets also slipped, with Japan’s Nikkei dropping 2.40%.
In currencies, the dollar steadied but weakened against the yen as Japanese officials increased efforts to curb the yen’s slide. Meanwhile, cryptocurrencies tumbled, with bitcoin falling to multi-month lows.
U.S. Treasury yields dipped as rate-cut bets strengthened, and oil prices fell to a one-month low on developments in the Russia-Ukraine peace push. Gold also edged lower, with spot prices ending at $4,065.29 an ounce.
