Gold and Silver Prices Rebound After Volatile Week Triggered by Fed Nomination 
India–U.S. Interim Trade Pact Cuts Auto Tariffs but Leaves Tesla Out 
Russian Stocks End Mixed as MOEX Index Closes Flat Amid Commodity Strength 
U.S. Stock Futures Rise as Markets Brace for Jobs and Inflation Data 
Asian Currencies Stay Rangebound as Yen Firms on Intervention Talk 
Trump’s Inflation Claims Clash With Voters’ Cost-of-Living Reality 
South Africa Eyes ECB Repo Lines as Inflation Eases and Rate Cuts Loom 
Oil Prices Slip as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Middle East Tensions 
Japanese Pharmaceutical Stocks Slide as TrumpRx.gov Launch Sparks Market Concerns 
China Extends Gold Buying Streak as Reserves Surge Despite Volatile Prices 
UK Starting Salaries See Strongest Growth in 18 Months as Hiring Sentiment Improves 
Australian Household Spending Dips in December as RBA Tightens Policy 
Vietnam’s Trade Surplus With US Jumps as Exports Surge and China Imports Hit Record 
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility 
U.S.-India Trade Framework Signals Major Shift in Tariffs, Energy, and Supply Chains 
Trump Lifts 25% Tariff on Indian Goods in Strategic U.S.–India Trade and Energy Deal 
U.S. stock futures remained steady on Tuesday evening as Wall Street extended its record-breaking streak for a third consecutive session. Investors stayed cautious yet optimistic ahead of the Federal Reserve’s widely expected interest rate cut, which could provide fresh momentum for the markets.
As of 21:18 ET (01:18 GMT), S&P 500 Futures edged up 0.1% to 6,929.25 points, Nasdaq 100 Futures gained 0.1% to 26,185.75, while Dow Jones Futures slipped 0.1% to 47,842.0 points. During the regular trading session, all three major U.S. indexes closed at record highs — the S&P 500 climbed 0.2%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.3%, and the NASDAQ Composite jumped 0.8%.
The continued rally was fueled by rising hopes for a U.S.-China trade breakthrough and growing confidence that the Federal Reserve will implement a quarter-point rate cut to stimulate economic growth. With the Fed’s two-day policy meeting nearing conclusion, investors are closely watching for signals on the central bank’s future stance amid lingering concerns over muted inflation and disruptions from the recent U.S. government shutdown. A dovish tone from the Fed could further strengthen market sentiment and support risk assets.
Adding to the optimism, news emerged that President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to meet later this week to finalize a framework aimed at averting new tariffs and trade restrictions — a development that could bolster global market confidence.
On the corporate front, NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) shares surged nearly 5% after announcing plans to build seven new AI supercomputers for the U.S. Department of Energy. The week remains earnings-heavy, with Alphabet (GOOGL), Meta Platforms (META), and Microsoft (MSFT) set to report Wednesday, followed by Apple (AAPL) and Amazon (AMZN) on Thursday.
