Asian Markets Rally as Micron and Qualcomm AI Outlook Lifts Global Tech Stocks 
Australian Household Spending Rebounds Strongly in May as Travel and Dining Drive Consumer Growth 
Gold Falls Below $4,000 as Strong Dollar and Fed Rate Hike Expectations Weigh on Prices 
US Dollar Slips After PCE Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
BOJ Hawk Signals Faster Interest Rate Hikes Amid Inflation Risks 
US Dollar Slips After PCE Inflation Data as Fed Rate Hike Expectations Stay Elevated 
Australia Jobs Growth Strengthens Rate Hike Outlook 
Oil Prices Rebound as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Return After Ship Attack Near Oman 
Oil Prices Drop as Strait of Hormuz Shipping Recovers 
Bank Regulation Rollbacks in the U.S. and UK Could Increase Financial Risks, Study Warns 
Morgan Stanley Sees Chinese Auto Market Recovery Gaining Momentum in Late Summer 
South Korea’s KOSPI Jumps Over 5% as Samsung, SK Hynix Rally on Micron Earnings Boost 
Asian Stocks Sink as Apple Price Hikes Spark AI Valuation Fears, South Korea and Japan Lead Selloff 
Wall Street Ends Lower as AI Stocks Drag Markets, Fed Rate Outlook Shifts 
Iran Attack in Strait of Hormuz Pushes Oil Prices Higher 
Trump Threatens 100% Tariffs on Countries Imposing Digital Services Taxes on U.S. Tech Firms 
Trump Requests $11 Billion More in Farm Aid as Rising Costs Pressure U.S. Farmers 
U.S. stock index futures edged lower Wednesday evening as investors awaited key inflation data and monetary policy signals from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. The dip followed a mixed day on Wall Street, where tech stocks outperformed amid ongoing optimism around artificial intelligence, while broader sectors showed weakness.
S&P 500 futures slipped 0.1% to 5,896.25, Nasdaq 100 futures dropped 0.1% to 21,372.25, and Dow Jones futures led declines, down 0.5% to 41,929.0 as of 8:00 p.m. ET.
Markets are now focused on Thursday’s U.S. producer price index (PPI) release, expected to show moderating factory-level inflation for April. The report comes on the heels of softer-than-expected consumer price index (CPI) data, which sparked hopes of potential interest rate cuts if inflation continues to cool.
All eyes are also on Jerome Powell’s speech Thursday, where he will review the Fed’s policy framework. Investors are looking for hints on future rate decisions, especially after the Fed recently held rates steady and signaled caution due to economic uncertainty.
On Wednesday, Wall Street indexes saw varied performance. The Nasdaq climbed 0.7% to 19,146.81, lifted by gains in AI-linked tech stocks like SuperMicro, which surged over 15%, and CoreWeave, up 6.6% during the session before tumbling nearly 8% after hours on margin concerns. The S&P 500 rose 0.1% to 5,892.58, while the Dow fell 0.2% to 42,051.06.
In after-hours trading, UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) dropped more than 7% following a Wall Street Journal report that the company is under DOJ investigation for alleged Medicare fraud. The stock is now down nearly 39% year-to-date, amid rising regulatory pressure and leadership changes.
