Thailand Inflation Remains Negative for 10th Straight Month in January 
Trump Signs Executive Order Threatening 25% Tariffs on Countries Trading With Iran 
Fed Governor Lisa Cook Warns Inflation Risks Remain as Rates Stay Steady 
Japanese Pharmaceutical Stocks Slide as TrumpRx.gov Launch Sparks Market Concerns 
Trump’s Inflation Claims Clash With Voters’ Cost-of-Living Reality 
Trump Endorses Japan’s Sanae Takaichi Ahead of Crucial Election Amid Market and China Tensions 
Bank of Japan Signals Readiness for Near-Term Rate Hike as Inflation Nears Target 
India–U.S. Interim Trade Pact Cuts Auto Tariffs but Leaves Tesla Out 
Dollar Near Two-Week High as Stock Rout, AI Concerns and Global Events Drive Market Volatility 
Trump Lifts 25% Tariff on Indian Goods in Strategic U.S.–India Trade and Energy Deal 
Asian Stocks Slip as Tech Rout Deepens, Japan Steadies Ahead of Election 
Gold Prices Slide Below $5,000 as Strong Dollar and Central Bank Outlook Weigh on Metals 
South Korea Assures U.S. on Trade Deal Commitments Amid Tariff Concerns 
Gold and Silver Prices Slide as Dollar Strength and Easing Tensions Weigh on Metals 
U.S.-India Trade Framework Signals Major Shift in Tariffs, Energy, and Supply Chains 
Dollar Steadies Ahead of ECB and BoE Decisions as Markets Turn Risk-Off 
Oil Prices Slide on US-Iran Talks, Dollar Strength and Profit-Taking Pressure 
U.S. stock futures were steady on Monday evening after Wall Street’s main indexes closed at record highs, fueled by growing optimism over an expected Federal Reserve rate cut and progress in U.S.-China trade talks.
As of 20:00 ET (00:00 GMT), S&P 500 Futures edged up 0.1% to 6,914.50, Nasdaq 100 Futures gained 0.2% to 26,008.75, and Dow Jones Futures rose 0.1% to 47,749.0. Earlier, the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0.7%, the S&P 500 climbed 1.2%, and the NASDAQ Composite jumped 1.9% — marking new all-time highs for the second straight session.
The rally was led by strong gains in technology and consumer discretionary stocks, as investors looked ahead to a crucial week of central bank decisions and corporate earnings. Markets are widely expecting the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates by 25 basis points at its two-day policy meeting starting Tuesday, lowering the federal funds rate to a 3.75%-4.00%range. The move comes after a softer-than-expected September CPI report reinforced expectations for monetary easing.
Investor confidence also improved following reports of constructive trade discussions between U.S. and Chinese officialsin Kuala Lumpur. The talks reportedly laid the groundwork for a potential trade framework deal, which could be finalized during the upcoming meeting between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping. The agreement may include rolling back certain tariffs and easing restrictions on rare-earth exports.
Meanwhile, Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) surged over 11% after launching a new AI chip, intensifying competition with Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) and AMD (NASDAQ:AMD). The broader chip sector rallied on the news, boosting overall market sentiment.
Investors are also gearing up for a busy earnings week, with major reports expected from Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL), Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), and Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META). The “Magnificent 7” tech giants continued to drive gains, supported by strong expectations for growth in artificial intelligence and cloud computing.
