Iraq Seeks 6 Million Bpd OPEC+ Oil Quota 
China Boosts Gold Reserves by 650,000 Ounces as Prices Rally 
US Stock Futures Mixed as Fed Rate Hike Bets Rise 
Asian Stocks Mixed as AI Chip Rally Meets Oil Surge 
Japanese Yen Nears Seven-Month High as Oil Approaches $100 
Asian Currencies Mixed as Yen Rallies on BOJ Bets 
Gold Prices Rise as Yen Rally Weakens Dollar 
Oil Prices Rally as Brent Nears $100 on U.S.-Iran Escalation 
European Stocks Flat as Iran Tensions, ECB Rate Hike Loom 
ECB Set for September Rate Hike as Energy Prices Fuel Inflation 
Hormuz Shipping Slows as Iran Threats Lift Oil Risks 
Canada Retaliatory Tariffs on U.S. Goods Take Effect 
Oil Prices Climb as Iran Threatens Gulf Energy Infrastructure 
Japan GDP Growth Beats Forecast, Boosting BOJ Rate Hike Bets 
Iran Threatens Gulf Energy Assets as U.S. Tensions Escalate 
US Bans Canadian Alcohol, Motorcycles as Trade War Escalates 
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Stock index futures remained mostly flat Thursday evening, stabilizing after a mixed Wall Street session. Investors digested lukewarm economic data and growing expectations for Federal Reserve interest rate cuts in 2025. Optimism over recent U.S.-China trade de-escalation also supported market sentiment, along with speculation on further trade deals under Donald Trump’s administration.
The S&P 500 futures hovered at 5,935.25, Nasdaq 100 futures stayed at 21,414.50, and Dow Jones futures edged up 0.1% to 42,420. Markets were seen pricing in at least two Fed rate cuts this year, spurred by softer-than-expected producer inflation and retail sales data. However, the Fed has yet to signal a timeline for policy easing.
On Thursday, Wall Street posted a mixed close. The S&P 500 gained 0.4% to 5,916.93, and the Dow Jones rose 0.7% to 42,322.75, while the Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.2% to 19,112.32. The pullback in tech stocks came after a strong rally earlier in the week, although gains in cyclical sectors helped offset declines.
After-hours movers included Vistra Energy (NYSE:VST), which surged nearly 4% after announcing a $1.9 billion acquisition of natural gas assets, aimed at powering AI-focused data centers. Take-Two Interactive (NASDAQ:TTWO) dropped 2.5% after cutting its bookings forecast due to a delay in Grand Theft Auto VI. Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) slid 5.4% as weaker revenue and soft guidance overshadowed its earnings beat.
Despite tech volatility, chipmaker earnings continued to boost investor confidence in AI-driven demand, suggesting further strength in the semiconductor sector in coming quarters.
