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 
US Dollar Slips as Markets Weigh Potential US-Iran Peace Deal and Oil Price Outlook 
European Stocks Rise as AI Optimism Offsets U.S.-Iran Tensions 
S&P 500 Hits Record High as Tech Rally Slows Amid Iran Peace Uncertainty 
Wall Street Hits New Highs as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Talks Boost Market Sentiment 
US Imposes Fresh Iran Oil Sanctions Despite Progress on Ceasefire Talks 
Tokyo Inflation Cools in May, Supporting BOJ’s Cautious Rate Hike Path 
New World Screwworm Found Near U.S. Border Raises Threat to Cattle Industry and Beef Prices 
ECB’s Philip Lane Warns Middle East Conflict Could Keep Inflation Elevated 
Asian Stocks Rally as AI Boom and Iran Ceasefire Progress Lift Market Sentiment 
US Launches New Trade Investigation Into Vietnam Over Intellectual Property Concerns 
Asian Currencies Steady as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Extension Hopes Weigh on Dollar 
Oil Prices Set for Sharp Weekly Losses as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Hopes Ease Supply Concerns 
Oil Prices Fall as Markets Await U.S.-Iran Peace Deal Decision 
Nikkei Hits Record High as AI Chip Stocks Power Japan Market Rally 
U.S. stock index futures stabilized on Thursday evening after a strong rebound in technology stocks helped Wall Street snap a two-day losing streak. The recovery was driven largely by blockbuster earnings from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), along with upbeat results from major U.S. banks such as Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs. However, broader market gains remained capped as investors continued to monitor rising geopolitical tensions involving Iran, which have recently weighed on global risk sentiment.
By 18:35 ET, S&P 500 futures edged up 0.1% to 6,988.50 points, while Nasdaq 100 futures also gained 0.1% to 25,727.0 points. Dow Jones futures traded slightly higher at 49,670.0 points. The modest uptick reflected cautious optimism as investors balanced strong corporate earnings against ongoing macro and geopolitical risks.
Technology and semiconductor stocks led the advance after TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, reported a record-high profit for the fourth quarter. The company also reinforced confidence in the artificial intelligence-driven demand outlook, positioning itself as a key beneficiary of the global AI infrastructure buildout. TSMC’s U.S.-listed shares jumped 4.4%, lifting sentiment across the chip sector. NVIDIA, a major TSMC customer, climbed 2.2%, while AMD added nearly 2%. TSMC’s CEO highlighted strong customer demand and signaled a sharp increase in capital expenditure planned for 2026 to meet long-term growth needs.
The positive momentum in semiconductors spilled over into broader tech stocks, although gains were tempered by some profit-taking after a strong start to January. Meanwhile, Wall Street also drew support from the banking sector. Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley surged 4.6% and 5.8%, respectively, after reporting robust December-quarter earnings, helping offset earlier mixed results from other banks.
The S&P 500 rose nearly 0.3% on Thursday, the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.25%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average outperformed with a 0.6% rise, led by financial stocks. With the fourth-quarter earnings season accelerating next week and key reports from companies like Netflix, Johnson & Johnson, and Intel ahead, investors remain focused on corporate fundamentals amid a complex global backdrop.
