Trump Questions USMCA Renewal as Trade Talks Continue 
Japan Signals Readiness to Intervene as USD/JPY Nears 161 Amid Yen Weakness 
BOJ Signals More Rate Hikes as Inflation Risks Rise Amid Energy Price Pressures 
Gold Prices Rebound on U.S.-Iran Peace Deal Optimism Despite Fed Rate Hike Signals 
Oil Prices Slide as U.S.-Iran Deal and Hormuz Reopening Ease Supply Concerns 
Canada Imposes 10% Tariff on Canned Vegetable Imports to Protect Domestic Industry 
Yen Near 40-Year Lows Despite BOJ Rate Hike, Markets Brace for Possible Intervention 
Trump and Iran Sign Framework Peace Deal in France Amid Ongoing Middle East Tensions 
Asian Stocks Surge as Oil Prices Fall and Strong US Dollar Weighs on Markets 
China’s AI Manufacturing Boom Masks Weak Consumer Economy, Citi Says 
Fed Chair Kevin Warsh Signals Policy Overhaul as Hawkish Rate Outlook Rattles Markets 
Italy’s Economy Outpaces Eurozone Peers as Investment Spending Fuels Growth 
Trump Says No Hormuz Strait Tolls During 60-Day Iran Ceasefire 
Europe EV Demand Surges as Fuel Prices Rise Amid Iran Conflict 
German Industry Employment Falls to Lowest Level in a Decade 
Oil Prices Steady as U.S.-Iran Truce Uncertainty and Middle East Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 
Gold Prices Slide as Hawkish Fed and Strong Dollar Weigh on Bullion 
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.
