White House Seeks $87.6 Billion Emergency Funding for Iran War, Farmers, and Ebola Response 
Trump Requests $11 Billion More in Farm Aid as Rising Costs Pressure U.S. Farmers 
Gold Drops Below $4,000 as Strong US Dollar and Fed Rate Hike Expectations Pressure Bullion 
Wall Street Ends Mixed as Micron Surges, Apple Drops After Price Hikes 
US Dollar Slips After PCE Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
Asian Stocks Sink as Apple Price Hikes Spark AI Valuation Fears, South Korea and Japan Lead Selloff 
SpaceX Eyes Starlink Mobile Phone Service to Challenge Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile 
BOJ Hawk Signals Faster Interest Rate Hikes Amid Inflation Risks 
South Korea’s KOSPI Jumps Over 5% as Samsung, SK Hynix Rally on Micron Earnings Boost 
Oil Prices Rebound as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Return After Ship Attack Near Oman 
Australia Jobs Growth Strengthens Rate Hike Outlook 
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 
Japan Signals Preference for Low Interest Rates as BOJ Policy Debate Intensifies 
Trump Threatens 100% Tariffs on Countries Imposing Digital Services Taxes on U.S. Tech Firms 
U.S. stock index futures gained on Wednesday evening, extending Wall Street’s momentum after a technology-led rally. Investors largely shrugged off mounting global and political risks, instead turning their attention to an upcoming speech by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, which could offer fresh clues on the central bank’s interest rate outlook.
S&P 500 Futures rose 0.1% to 6,806.75, Nasdaq 100 Futures climbed 0.2% to 25,370.75, and Dow Jones Futures added 0.1% to 46,895.0 by 20:04 ET (00:04 GMT). The optimism followed a strong session for U.S. equities, powered by big tech names and expectations of further monetary easing.
The Federal Reserve’s September meeting minutes, released Wednesday, indicated that most policymakers supported more rate cuts to cushion a cooling labor market. However, there was uncertainty about how far rates should fall given that inflation remains stubbornly high. Dovish voices like Governor Stephen Miran pushed for a 50-basis-point cut, though most officials favored a smaller move.
Markets are now focused on Powell’s remarks scheduled for Thursday at 08:30 ET (12:30 GMT), as traders price in another 25-basis-point rate cut in October, according to CME FedWatch data. The ongoing partial U.S. government shutdown has delayed several key economic reports, adding to uncertainty over the strength of the economy.
Despite political gridlock and global worries — including concerns over Japan’s fiscal health and political turmoil in France — investor sentiment remained upbeat. Gold prices surged to new highs as safe-haven demand grew amid global instability.
Wall Street rallied Wednesday, with the S&P 500 gaining 0.6% to a record 6,753.72 and the Nasdaq Composite jumping 1.1% to 23,043.38. Tech shares led the charge, driven by NVIDIA’s 2% rise after CEO Jensen Huang highlighted surging AI-driven demand and confirmed an investment in Elon Musk’s xAI. The market now looks ahead to the third-quarter earnings season, with reports from PepsiCo, Delta Air Lines, and major Wall Street banks on deck.
