Oil Prices Climb as Trump Escalates Iran Pressure, Strait of Hormuz Risks Grow 
US Inflation Expected to Ease in June, but Fed Rate Hike Risks Persist Amid Middle East Tensions 
Asian Stocks Rally as Cooling U.S. Inflation Boosts Fed Rate Cut Hopes 
Iraq PM Visits Washington as U.S. Oil, Gas Deals Take Center Stage 
Goldman Sees Foreign Investors Driving India Stock Market Recovery 
Singapore GDP Grows 5.7% in Q2 2026 as AI-Driven Manufacturing Boosts Economy 
South Korea Central Bank Set to Raise Interest Rates as Inflation Stays Elevated 
Gold Prices Fall as US-Iran Conflict, Rising Oil Prices Fuel Fed Rate Concerns 
China Q2 2026 GDP Misses Forecast as Weak Domestic Demand Offsets Export Strength 
China Home Prices Fall Again in June Despite Slower Pace of Decline 
Australian Business Conditions Hold Steady as Easing Cost Pressures Face New Oil Price Risks 
South Korea’s KOSPI Triggers Trading Curb as AI Chip Stock Selloff Deepens 
ECB's Kocher Says No Inflation Spillover Yet From Iran Conflict, Warns Risks Remain 
Asian Currencies Stay Rangebound as Middle East Tensions, Weak China GDP Weigh on Sentiment 
Asian Stocks Rise as Softer U.S. Inflation Boosts Sentiment Despite Middle East Tensions 
European Stocks Slip as Middle East Tensions and Hormuz Threat Rattle Markets 
U.S. stock index futures moved higher Wednesday evening as investors remained optimistic about technology and semiconductor stocks ahead of a highly anticipated meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The positive momentum followed another strong session on Wall Street, where the S&P 500 and Nasdaq closed at record highs thanks to renewed strength in artificial intelligence and chip-related shares.
By late evening trading, S&P 500 Futures gained 0.1% to 7,480.25, while Nasdaq 100 Futures climbed 0.5% to 29,631.0. Dow Jones Futures also edged up 0.2% to 49,905.0. Investor sentiment improved after reports suggested the Trump-Xi discussions could ease tensions between the United States and China, particularly regarding technology exports and trade restrictions.
Market attention is now centered on Thursday’s summit in Beijing, where Trump arrived alongside major U.S. business leaders including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Tesla chief Elon Musk. Analysts expect talks to address tariffs, Taiwan, artificial intelligence cooperation, and broader economic relations between the two global powers.
Chipmaking stocks rallied strongly after hopes emerged that Washington may soften export controls on semiconductor sales to China. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index surged 2.6%, recovering losses from the previous session and nearing record territory once again. Nvidia and other AI-linked companies continued to attract strong investor interest amid growing optimism surrounding the global AI industry.
Despite concerns over inflation and geopolitical risks linked to the Iran conflict, investors largely favored growth and technology sectors. Earlier this week, hotter-than-expected U.S. inflation data raised expectations that the Federal Reserve could maintain higher interest rates for longer. Adding to market focus, the U.S. Senate confirmed Kevin Warsh as the next Federal Reserve Chairman, replacing Jerome Powell whose term ends this week.
