Gold Prices Dip as Markets Absorb Dovish Fed Outlook; Silver Eases After Record High 
Asian Currencies Steady as Fed Delivers Hawkish Rate Cut; Aussie and Rupee Under Pressure 
Gold Prices Slip Slightly in Asia as Silver Nears Record Highs on Dovish Fed Outlook 
U.S. Stock Futures Mixed as Tech and AI Stocks Face Pressure Ahead of CPI Data 
China’s November Economic Data Signals Slowing Industrial Output and Weak Consumer Demand 
Modi and Trump Hold Phone Call as India Seeks Relief From U.S. Tariffs Over Russian Oil Trade 
Indonesia–U.S. Tariff Talks Near Completion as Both Sides Push for Year-End Deal 
S&P 500 Slides as AI Chip Stocks Tumble, Cooling Tech Rally 
Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Indian Rupee Slides to Record Low on Fed Outlook 
Asian Technology and Chipmaking Stocks Slide as AI Spending Concerns Shake Markets 
China’s Small Bank Consolidation Struggles as Profits Fall and Risks Persist 
Oil Prices Rebound as U.S.-Venezuela Tensions Offset Oversupply Concerns 
Korea Zinc Plans $6.78 Billion U.S. Smelter Investment With Government Partnership 
U.S. Dollar Slides for Third Straight Week as Rate Cut Expectations Boost Euro and Pound 
ASX Shares Slide After ASIC Imposes A$150 Million Capital Requirement 
Australia’s Labour Market Weakens as November Employment Drops Sharply 
U.S. stock index futures edged lower Thursday evening as Wall Street closed in the red, weighed down by renewed fears surrounding regional banks, escalating U.S.-China trade tensions, and the prolonged government shutdown.
S&P 500 Futures slipped 0.2% to 6,654.50 points, while Nasdaq 100 Futures dropped 0.2% to 24,778.50 points. Dow Jones Futures declined 0.1% to 46,097.0 points. During regular trading, the S&P 500 fell 0.6%, the NASDAQ Composite lost 0.5%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average retreated 0.7%.
Regional bank stocks were among the biggest losers after Zions Bancorporation (NASDAQ: ZION) and Western Alliance Bancorporation (NYSE: WAL) reported significant loan losses linked to potential fraud. Zions said it would write off roughly $50 million following “misrepresentations and contractual defaults” at its California Bank & Trust unit. Western Alliance announced legal action against a borrower accused of presenting fraudulent collateral. The disclosures triggered steep selloffs, with Zions tumbling more than 13% and Western Alliance dropping nearly 10%, dragging the KBW Regional Banking Index down about 6%.
Investor sentiment also weakened amid rising geopolitical and political uncertainty. President Trump’s announcement of an additional 100% tariff on all Chinese imports, in response to Beijing’s rare earth export restrictions, further fueled concerns of deteriorating trade relations between the world’s two largest economies.
Meanwhile, the U.S. government shutdown, now entering its third week, continued to rattle markets, delaying key economic data and stoking fears about short-term growth prospects.
Despite early optimism from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (NYSE: TSM) earnings that briefly lifted tech stocks, broader market declines in industrials and financials erased those gains. JB Hunt (NASDAQ: JBHT) surged over 20% after posting strong results, while Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) and Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO) fell as Trump hinted at sharp price cuts for obesity drugs.
