Japan Economy Poised for Q4 2025 Growth as Investment and Consumption Hold Firm 
Oil Prices Slide on US-Iran Talks, Dollar Strength and Profit-Taking Pressure 
Dollar Steadies Ahead of ECB and BoE Decisions as Markets Turn Risk-Off 
Global Markets Slide as AI, Crypto, and Precious Metals Face Heightened Volatility 
Asian Stocks Slip as Tech Rout Deepens, Japan Steadies Ahead of Election 
Japanese Pharmaceutical Stocks Slide as TrumpRx.gov Launch Sparks Market Concerns 
Singapore Budget 2026 Set for Fiscal Prudence as Growth Remains Resilient 
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility 
Trump’s Inflation Claims Clash With Voters’ Cost-of-Living Reality 
South Korea’s Weak Won Struggles as Retail Investors Pour Money Into U.S. Stocks 
South Africa Eyes ECB Repo Lines as Inflation Eases and Rate Cuts Loom 
South Korea Assures U.S. on Trade Deal Commitments Amid Tariff Concerns 
Silver Prices Plunge in Asian Trade as Dollar Strength Triggers Fresh Precious Metals Sell-Off 
Thailand Inflation Remains Negative for 10th Straight Month in January 
Trump Endorses Japan’s Sanae Takaichi Ahead of Crucial Election Amid Market and China Tensions 
U.S.-India Trade Framework Signals Major Shift in Tariffs, Energy, and Supply Chains 
Fed Governor Lisa Cook Warns Inflation Risks Remain as Rates Stay Steady 
Wall Street index futures ticked up slightly on Wednesday evening, continuing the week’s positive sentiment as technology stocks staged a recovery and traders grew more confident that the Federal Reserve will move ahead with interest rate cuts in December. Despite the upbeat tone, overall trading volumes remained thin ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, while anticipation of key U.S. economic data next week kept some investors cautious.
S&P 500 futures edged up to 6,830.50 by 19:23 ET (00:23 GMT), while Nasdaq 100 futures added 0.1% to 25,321.25 points. Dow Jones futures also rose 0.1% to 47,519.0. The modest gains followed Wall Street’s fourth straight day of advances, driven largely by improving sentiment toward megacap tech stocks.
Investors found renewed optimism as spending on artificial intelligence technology remained strong, even as concerns lingered over competitive pressures in the AI chip market. NVIDIA shares climbed 1.4% after hitting a two-month low, following reports that Alphabet’s Google is developing its own AI chips and is in discussions with Meta to supply its data centers. Alphabet reached a record high earlier in the week before slipping 1% on Wednesday, while Meta also saw a slight decline after recent strong gains. Broader tech names continued to rebound after being hit earlier this quarter by worries over inflated AI valuations and circular funding trends.
Rate-cut expectations also boosted market sentiment. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, traders are now pricing in an 82.2% probability of a 25-basis-point cut at the Fed’s December 9–10 meeting, up sharply from just 24% a week earlier. Softer-than-expected September retail sales and producer inflation data added to the dovish outlook.
Markets are also watching the potential successor to Fed Chair Jerome Powell. Reports indicate that White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett—an ally of President Donald Trump—is the leading candidate. Hassett is widely expected to support more aggressive rate cuts, aligning with the administration’s calls for lower borrowing costs. Powell’s term ends in May 2026, but an announcement could come much sooner as Trump continues to criticize the current Fed leadership for resisting rapid rate reductions.
