BOJ Expected to Deliver December Rate Hike as Economists See Borrowing Costs Rising Through 2025 
Oil Prices Rebound in Asia as Venezuela Sanctions Risks Offset Ukraine Peace Hopes 
Modi and Trump Hold Phone Call as India Seeks Relief From U.S. Tariffs Over Russian Oil Trade 
Global Forex Markets Brace for Fed Decision as Yen Extends Weakness 
Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Indian Rupee Slides to Record Low on Fed Outlook 
Wall Street Futures Slip as Oracle Earnings Miss Reignites AI Spending Concerns 
Fed Rate Cut Signals Balance Between Inflation and Jobs, Says Mary Daly 
Global Markets Slide as Tech Stocks Sink, Yields Rise, and AI Concerns Deepen 
Gold Prices Dip as Markets Absorb Dovish Fed Outlook; Silver Eases After Record High 
U.S. Dollar Slides for Third Straight Week as Rate Cut Expectations Boost Euro and Pound 
Brazil Holds Selic Rate at 15% as Inflation Expectations Stay Elevated 
Mexico Moves to Increase Tariffs on Asian Imports to Protect Domestic Industries 
S&P 500 Slides as AI Chip Stocks Tumble, Cooling Tech Rally 
Wall Street Futures Dip as Broadcom Slides, Tech Weighed Down Despite Dovish Fed Signals 
Hong Kong Cuts Base Rate as HKMA Follows U.S. Federal Reserve Move 
Asian Currencies Steady as Fed Delivers Hawkish Rate Cut; Aussie and Rupee Under Pressure 
U.S. stock index futures edged higher Thursday evening following modest Wall Street gains, driven by corporate earnings from Apple and Microsoft. Investors now focus on Friday’s personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index for insights into the Federal Reserve’s next move after maintaining a hawkish stance.
S&P 500 Futures rose 0.1% to 6,104.75, while Nasdaq 100 Futures climbed 0.3% to 21,695.50. Dow Jones Futures ticked up 0.1% to 45,076.
Tech earnings fueled market sentiment. Microsoft stock dropped 6% despite surpassing estimates, as its cloud revenue and AI-related expenses disappointed. Apple stock gained 3% in after-hours trading despite missing iPhone sales estimates. Meta rose 1.6% on strong Q4 revenue but warned of weaker current-quarter sales. Tesla shares climbed nearly 3% on cost-cutting measures and plans for an affordable EV model.
Outside tech, Caterpillar shares fell 4.6% on weak Q4 revenue and a lackluster 2025 outlook. UPS plunged over 14% after cutting 2025 guidance and slashing Amazon deliveries by over 50%.
The NASDAQ Composite gained 0.3% to 19,681.75, the Dow Jones rose 0.4% to 44,881.64, and the S&P 500 advanced 0.5% to 6,071.18.
Friday’s PCE inflation report is expected to show a 0.3% month-over-month increase, signaling persistent inflation. The Fed’s stance remains cautious, with Chair Jerome Powell emphasizing strong labor markets and ongoing price pressures.
Meanwhile, trade policy uncertainties linger. President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs, including a 25% levy on Canadian and Mexican oil imports, have fueled investor concerns. Markets await clarity on exemptions before the tariffs take effect Saturday.
