S&P 500 Hits Record High as Soft Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Fears 
Gold Prices Rise as Weak US Data and Hormuz Risks Boost Safe-Haven Demand 
Strait of Hormuz Shipping Near Standstill After New Vessel Attacks 
Trump Imposes New Tariffs on Drone Imports Over US Security Concerns 
Asian Stocks Rally as Cooling US Inflation Boosts Fed Rate Outlook 
S&P 500 Retreats From Record High as AI Stocks Slide, Retail Sales Disappoint 
US Stock Futures Steady as Cooling Inflation and Strong Earnings Support Markets 
BSP Sees Philippine Inflation Easing, Keeps Policy Options Open 
Gold Prices Retreat From Two-Month High as Softer Inflation Eases Fed Rate Hike Bets 
China Automakers Accelerate Global Expansion as Domestic Car Sales Slump 
European Stocks Steady as U.S.-Iran War, Euro Zone Data Keep Investors Cautious 
US Dollar Slips as Soft Economic Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
France Inflation Rises 2.4% in July as Consumer Prices Increase 
Yen Edges Higher as Weak US Data Dampens Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
Oil Prices Fall as U.S. Crude Inventories Surge and Hormuz Tensions Persist 
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U.S. stock futures traded mixed Monday as investors reassessed the Federal Reserve interest rate outlook and prepared for major retail earnings, while developments involving Anthropic, Nvidia and the Strait of Hormuz also drew market attention.
Dow futures slipped 0.1%, while S&P 500 futures gained 0.2% and Nasdaq 100 futures advanced 0.5%. Wall Street's major indices had declined in the previous session after weaker-than-expected U.S. retail sales. Applied Materials shares also fell more than 5% despite an upbeat outlook, weighing on other AI-linked stocks.
Expectations for a near-term Fed rate hike have diminished following recent economic data. Investors will now watch minutes from the Fed's July meeting and preliminary August business activity figures for clues on monetary policy and bond yields. Retail earnings will also dominate the week's calendar, with Walmart, Home Depot, Target and Lowe's scheduled to report.
In artificial intelligence news, Anthropic is targeting annual revenue of roughly $190 billion to $200 billion by 2028, Reuters reported. The ambitious projection could play a major role in determining the AI company's valuation ahead of a potential blockbuster IPO. Anthropic disclosed a $47 billion revenue run rate in May.
Meanwhile, shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz slowed sharply over the weekend amid security concerns and unresolved U.S.-Iran tensions. Kpler data cited by Reuters showed only five commodity vessels crossed Saturday and none Sunday, compared with 31 during the previous weekend. Brent crude futures were down 0.1% at $88.45 per barrel.
China also reported weaker industrial production growth, with July output rising 4.5% year over year, below forecasts of 5% and June's 5.3% increase.
Separately, Nvidia is reportedly discussing an investment of up to $3 billion in SoftBank-backed SB Energy. The company is developing an Ohio data center campus for OpenAI, highlighting Nvidia's growing involvement in financing the infrastructure supporting the global AI boom.
