Dollar Near Two-Week High as Stock Rout, AI Concerns and Global Events Drive Market Volatility 
U.S.-India Trade Framework Signals Major Shift in Tariffs, Energy, and Supply Chains 
Dollar Steadies Ahead of ECB and BoE Decisions as Markets Turn Risk-Off 
Australia’s December Trade Surplus Expands but Falls Short of Expectations 
South Korea Assures U.S. on Trade Deal Commitments Amid Tariff Concerns 
Fed Governor Lisa Cook Warns Inflation Risks Remain as Rates Stay Steady 
Gold Prices Slide Below $5,000 as Strong Dollar and Central Bank Outlook Weigh on Metals 
Gold and Silver Prices Rebound After Volatile Week Triggered by Fed Nomination 
U.S. Stock Futures Edge Higher as Tech Rout Deepens on AI Concerns and Earnings 
RBI Holds Repo Rate at 5.25% as India’s Growth Outlook Strengthens After U.S. Trade Deal 
Oil Prices Slip as U.S.–Iran Talks Ease Supply Disruption Fears 
Trump Lifts 25% Tariff on Indian Goods in Strategic U.S.–India Trade and Energy Deal 
Singapore Budget 2026 Set for Fiscal Prudence as Growth Remains Resilient 
Asian Stocks Slip as Tech Rout Deepens, Japan Steadies Ahead of Election 
Thailand Inflation Remains Negative for 10th Straight Month in January 
Bank of Japan Signals Readiness for Near-Term Rate Hike as Inflation Nears Target 
Oil Prices Slide on US-Iran Talks, Dollar Strength and Profit-Taking Pressure 
U.S. stocks closed higher Thursday, driven by Nvidia’s strong performance, even as trade policy concerns resurfaced. The S&P 500 gained 0.4%, the Dow rose 0.3%, and the Nasdaq added 0.4%. All major indexes are on track for weekly and monthly gains, with the S&P 500 up 5.7% this month and the Nasdaq leading with a 9.5% jump.
Investor sentiment was rattled by a legal tug-of-war over former President Donald Trump’s proposed reciprocal tariffs. A federal appeals court reinstated the tariffs Thursday, days after the Court of International Trade blocked them, ruling Trump exceeded his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Both sides are expected to present further arguments in early June.
Despite the uncertainty, Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) rallied on strong first-quarter earnings, fueled by high demand for AI chips and data center servers. The company also noted an $8 billion sales impact from U.S. export restrictions to China but remained optimistic. Analysts, including Wedbush, called the forecast “impressive,” reinforcing Nvidia’s role as a key AI growth indicator.
Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) also gained after CEO Elon Musk announced his departure from the Trump administration to focus fully on Tesla. Meanwhile, Kohl’s (NYSE: KSS) rose on a narrower-than-expected loss and reaffirmed annual targets, while Best Buy (NYSE: BBY) fell after cutting its 2026 outlook due to tariff risks.
Economic data painted a weaker picture, with Q1 GDP contracting 0.2%, revised slightly from the initial 0.3% decline. Unemployment claims rose to 240,000 last week, signaling softening labor conditions. Markets now turn to upcoming comments from several Federal Reserve officials for insight into future monetary policy.
