S&P 500 Slides as AI Chip Stocks Tumble, Cooling Tech Rally 
Wall Street Futures Slip as Oracle Earnings Miss Reignites AI Spending Concerns 
Ireland Limits Planned Trade Ban on Israeli Settlements to Goods Only 
Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Indian Rupee Slides to Record Low on Fed Outlook 
Fed Near Neutral Signals Caution Ahead, Shifting Focus to Fixed Income in 2026 
ADB Approves $400 Million Loan to Boost Ease of Doing Business in the Philippines 
Asian Stocks Slip as Oracle Earnings Miss Sparks AI Profitability Concerns 
Wall Street Futures Dip as Broadcom Slides, Tech Weighed Down Despite Dovish Fed Signals 
Asian Currencies Steady as Fed Delivers Hawkish Rate Cut; Aussie and Rupee Under Pressure 
Mexico Moves to Increase Tariffs on Asian Imports to Protect Domestic Industries 
US Signals Openness to New Trade Deal as Brazil Shows Willingness, Says USTR Greer 
U.S. Dollar Slides for Third Straight Week as Rate Cut Expectations Boost Euro and Pound 
Japan Weighs New Tax Breaks to Boost Corporate Investment Amid Spending Debate 
BOJ Expected to Deliver December Rate Hike as Economists See Borrowing Costs Rising Through 2025 
Gold Prices Slip Slightly in Asia as Silver Nears Record Highs on Dovish Fed Outlook 
Hong Kong Cuts Base Rate as HKMA Follows U.S. Federal Reserve Move 
Oil prices remained stable in Asian trading on Friday, holding onto gains from the previous session amid optimism over new U.S. trade agreements and expectations of Russian gasoline export cuts. Brent crude futures for September rose 0.2% to $69.29 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude edged up 0.2% to $66.13 per barrel as of 21:31 ET (01:31 GMT). Both benchmarks jumped over 1% on Thursday following data showing a sharp drop in U.S. crude inventories.
Market sentiment was lifted by reports of progress in trade talks between the U.S. and European Union, with a potential agreement replacing a previously threatened 30% tariff with a reduced 15% levy. India also signaled optimism about avoiding proposed U.S. tariffs, while Washington and Tokyo finalized a deal cutting import tariffs on Japanese goods to 15% from 25%. Analysts at ING noted that easing trade tensions could boost global demand, supporting oil consumption through increased transportation and industrial activity.
Additional support came from expectations that Russia will tighten restrictions on gasoline exports to curb rising domestic prices, potentially disrupting supply. This follows Thursday’s report of U.S. plans to allow limited oil operations in Venezuela, starting with Chevron, which could add over 200,000 barrels per day to U.S. refiners seeking heavier crude.
Traders are closely monitoring these developments as they weigh the impact of trade deals, Russian export measures, and potential Venezuelan supply on the broader supply-demand outlook for crude oil. The combination of easing trade tensions and potential supply disruptions could provide continued support for prices in the near term.
