European Earnings Season Gains Strength as Barclays Sees Broader Profit Recovery 
US Stock Futures Fall as Netflix Outlook, Chip Selloff and Iran Tensions Weigh on Markets 
Gold Prices Head for Biggest Weekly Loss Since June as Fed Rate Outlook Weighs 
Asian Markets Cautious as Oil Tops $90, AI Earnings and Fed Rate Fears Weigh on Sentiment 
Japan Core Inflation Seen Rising in June, Strengthening BOJ Rate Hike Outlook 
Oil Prices Hold Steady as U.S.-Iran Conflict and Houthi Blockade Keep Markets on Edge 
Gold Prices Slip Near $4,000 as U.S.-Iran Conflict Fuels Inflation Fears 
Germany Producer Prices Rise 1.8% in June, Missing Forecasts 
Oil Prices Surge as U.S.-Iran Conflict Escalates, Raising Supply Fears 
Hong Kong AI Stocks Rally as Moonshot AI’s Kimi K3 Launch Boosts Market Optimism 
China Holds Loan Prime Rates Steady for 14th Month as Economic Recovery Remains Uneven 
Japan PM Sanae Takaichi Unveils Growth Plan as BOJ Independence Concerns Lift Bond Yields 
Asian Stocks Rise as Oil Retreats on Iran Ceasefire Hopes Ahead of Key AI Earnings 
AI Chip Stocks Face Valuation Pressure as Investors Shift Toward Big Tech and Software 
Gold Climbs Above $4,000 as Middle East Tensions and Fed Outlook Drive Safe-Haven Demand 
US Stock Futures Hold Steady as Tesla, Alphabet Earnings and Iran Conflict Dominate Market Focus 
US Dollar Holds Near One-Week High as Middle East Tensions and Oil Prices Drive Market Sentiment 
U.S. stock index futures rose slightly on Thursday evening as investors maintained expectations for further Federal Reserve interest rate cuts, shifting their attention toward the upcoming third-quarter earnings season. The modest gains followed a soft Wall Street session, where markets paused after a record-breaking rally driven by tech optimism and artificial intelligence momentum.
As of 19:07 ET (23:07 GMT), S&P 500 futures gained 0.1% to 6,784.50, Nasdaq 100 futures advanced 0.1% to 23,312.75, and Dow Jones futures edged up 0.1% to 46,628.0. The S&P 500 closed Thursday down 0.3% at 6,735.11, while the Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.1% to 23,024.63, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.5% to 46,358.42.
Tech stocks, including NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA), have been the primary catalyst for recent market strength, buoyed by increased investment and chip supply deals linked to AI development. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (NYSE: TSM) also added support after reporting strong third-quarter revenue, with investors awaiting its full earnings report next week.
Market sentiment was further shaped by comments from Federal Reserve officials. New York Fed President John Williams expressed support for additional rate cuts, citing a weakening labor market. Minutes from the Fed’s September meeting revealed that while policymakers broadly agreed on more easing, opinions differed on how deep the cuts should go. Fed Chair Jerome Powell offered limited guidance, but traders largely continued to price in a 98% chance of a 25-basis-point rate cut in October, according to the CME FedWatch tool.
Looking ahead, attention turns to the Q3 earnings season beginning next week. Major financial institutions including JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM), Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC), Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS), Citigroup (NYSE: C), and BlackRock (NYSE: BLK) are set to report Tuesday. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), ASML Holding (AS: ASML), Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) will follow midweek. Investors will watch closely to assess how trade tariffs and economic disruptions have impacted corporate profits.
