Oil Prices Slip as U.S.–Iran Talks Ease Supply Disruption Fears 
Silver Prices Plunge in Asian Trade as Dollar Strength Triggers Fresh Precious Metals Sell-Off 
Fed Governor Lisa Cook Warns Inflation Risks Remain as Rates Stay Steady 
Trump Endorses Japan’s Sanae Takaichi Ahead of Crucial Election Amid Market and China Tensions 
Australia’s December Trade Surplus Expands but Falls Short of Expectations 
Japan Economy Poised for Q4 2025 Growth as Investment and Consumption Hold Firm 
Asian Markets Slip as AI Spending Fears Shake Tech, Wall Street Futures Rebound 
Vietnam’s Trade Surplus With US Jumps as Exports Surge and China Imports Hit Record 
Gold Prices Slide Below $5,000 as Strong Dollar and Central Bank Outlook Weigh on Metals 
Dollar Near Two-Week High as Stock Rout, AI Concerns and Global Events Drive Market Volatility 
Thailand Inflation Remains Negative for 10th Straight Month in January 
Gold and Silver Prices Slide as Dollar Strength and Easing Tensions Weigh on Metals 
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility 
Dollar Steadies Ahead of ECB and BoE Decisions as Markets Turn Risk-Off 
Bank of Japan Signals Readiness for Near-Term Rate Hike as Inflation Nears Target 
Trump Lifts 25% Tariff on Indian Goods in Strategic U.S.–India Trade and Energy Deal 
South Korea Assures U.S. on Trade Deal Commitments Amid Tariff Concerns 
U.S. stocks tumbled Wednesday as Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell dashed hopes of imminent interest rate cuts and a tech-led selloff, driven by Nvidia, rattled markets. The S&P 500 dropped 2.2%, the Nasdaq plunged 3.1%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 699 points, or 1.7%.
Powell warned the Fed remains focused on containing inflation, stating that tariff-induced price hikes must not evolve into sustained inflationary pressures. This stance contrasts with Fed Governor Christopher Waller's recent openness to rate cuts if tariffs significantly slow growth.
Tech stocks were hit hardest, led by Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA), which sank over 6% after revealing a $5.5 billion revenue hit due to U.S. export restrictions on its H20 AI chip to China. The chip, previously cleared for Chinese sale, now faces stricter controls amid ongoing U.S.-China trade tensions.
The news dragged down semiconductor stocks, with AMD (NASDAQ:AMD) forecasting an $800 million writeoff tied to similar curbs, sending its shares down more than 7%. ASML (AS:ASML) also flagged weaker Chinese demand, while Intel (NASDAQ:INTC), Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO), and TSMC (NYSE:TSM) also declined.
Outside tech, Travelers Companies (NYSE:TRV) gained over 1% despite a 60% profit plunge tied to $2 billion in wildfire-related losses. Hertz (NASDAQ:HTZ) surged 56% following a sizable stake increase by Pershing Square’s Bill Ackman. Meanwhile, Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) slipped nearly 1% amid a £5 billion UK class action lawsuit over alleged search market dominance.
On the economic front, U.S. retail sales jumped 1.4% in March, fueled by auto purchases ahead of potential tariffs. Stronger sales prompted Jefferies to revise its Q1 GDP forecast from 0.6% to 1.0%, suggesting resilient consumer demand despite economic uncertainty.
