Asian Currencies Steady as Dollar Holds Firm Ahead of Fed Decision and US-Iran Deal Details 
Japan Inflation Stays Below BOJ Target Despite Rate Hike and Rising Energy Cost Risks 
Oil Prices Drop as U.S.-Iran Peace Deal Eases Supply Concerns 
Asian Currencies Stabilize as Dollar Holds Near Two-Month High After Fed Hawkish Signal 
US Stock Futures Slip After Wall Street Rally Fueled by US-Iran Deal and Chipmaker Surge 
Trump and Iran Sign Framework Peace Deal in France Amid Ongoing Middle East Tensions 
China’s AI Manufacturing Boom Masks Weak Consumer Economy, Citi Says 
Asian Stocks Rally as Japan and South Korea Reach Record Highs on US-Iran Peace Deal 
Asian Stocks Surge as Oil Prices Fall and Strong US Dollar Weighs on Markets 
Australia Eases Capital Gains Tax Reforms to Support Small Businesses and Startups 
Japan Signals Readiness to Intervene as USD/JPY Nears 161 Amid Yen Weakness 
Gold Prices Slide as Hawkish Fed and Strong Dollar Weigh on Bullion 
Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Index Hits New 52-Week Low; Gold Falls and Oil Mixed 
Trump Says No Hormuz Strait Tolls During 60-Day Iran Ceasefire 
BOJ Signals More Rate Hikes as Inflation Risks Rise Amid Energy Price Pressures 
Dollar Hits One-Month High as Hawkish Fed Outlook Boosts Greenback 
US Stock Futures Jump on Reports of Preliminary US-Iran Peace Deal Despite Fed’s Hawkish Outlook 
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.
