South Korea’s KOSPI Enters Bear Market Despite Remaining 2026’s Best-Performing Major Stock Index 
China Trade Surplus Hits $125.6 Billion as June Exports, Imports Smash Forecasts 
Asian Stocks Rally as Cooling U.S. Inflation Boosts Fed Rate Cut Hopes 
Dollar Holds Steady Ahead of U.S. CPI as Oil Surge, Middle East Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 
Asian Stocks Slide as Chip Selloff Deepens Ahead of TSMC Earnings 
UBS Boosts China Tech Bets, Adds Kuaishou and Meituan to Focus List 
Asian Stocks Rise as Softer U.S. Inflation Boosts Sentiment Despite Middle East Tensions 
Goldman Sees Foreign Investors Driving India Stock Market Recovery 
Oil Prices Rise as U.S. Strikes on Iran Raise Strait of Hormuz Supply Fears 
IEA Warns China Rare Earth Export Curbs Could Threaten $6.5 Trillion in Global Production 
Gold Price Holds Near Record High as Cooling U.S. Inflation Offsets Fed Caution 
Japanese Yen Holds Steady as Intervention Hopes Grow Ahead of U.S. CPI Data 
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 
Oil Prices Surge as U.S.-Iran Conflict Escalates and Strait of Hormuz Risks Grow 
South Korea Raises Interest Rates to 2.75% as Inflation and Weak Won Drive Tightening 
U.S. stock futures traded slightly lower on Wednesday evening as investors assessed mixed corporate earnings and renewed concerns over U.S.-China trade relations. By 8:18 p.m. ET (00:18 GMT), S&P 500 futures dipped 0.2% to 6,726.25, Nasdaq 100 futures fell 0.2% to 24,986.75, and Dow Jones futures slid 0.3% to 46,641.0.
Major indexes ended the regular session in the red, with the S&P 500 down 0.5%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropping 0.7%, and the Nasdaq Composite losing 0.9%. Tech stocks were among the biggest drags, led by Tesla’s post-earnings slump. The electric vehicle giant (NASDAQ: TSLA) reported record revenue of $28.1 billion, slightly above expectations. However, net income plunged 37% as higher research spending and tariff-related costs eroded margins. The sales boost came largely from consumers rushing to claim the $7,500 federal EV tax credit before its expiration on September 30. Tesla shares fell 1% during the session and slid another 4% after hours.
General Electric’s spinoff GE Vernova (NYSE: GEV) disappointed investors with weaker-than-expected profits, while IBM (NYSE: IBM) reported earnings that exceeded forecasts but warned of slowing growth in its hybrid-cloud business. IBM shares fell about 5% in extended trading. Meanwhile, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) dropped 1.7% after reports from Nikkei indicated it is sharply cutting production of its iPhone Air model.
Investors now await U.S. consumer inflation data due Friday, which could influence the Federal Reserve’s next policy decision.
Adding to market pressure, Reuters reported that the Trump administration is considering new export restrictions on goods made with U.S. software bound for China. The move, aimed at countering Beijing’s rare earth export curbs, could impact industries from semiconductors to aerospace, signaling a potential escalation in trade tensions ahead of President Trump’s expected meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
