South Africa Eyes ECB Repo Lines as Inflation Eases and Rate Cuts Loom 
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility 
Asian Stocks Slip as Tech Rout Deepens, Japan Steadies Ahead of Election 
Trump Endorses Japan’s Sanae Takaichi Ahead of Crucial Election Amid Market and China Tensions 
Dollar Steadies Ahead of ECB and BoE Decisions as Markets Turn Risk-Off 
Japan Economy Poised for Q4 2025 Growth as Investment and Consumption Hold Firm 
U.S. Stock Futures Slide as Tech Rout Deepens on Amazon Capex Shock 
Global Markets Slide as AI, Crypto, and Precious Metals Face Heightened Volatility 
Oil Prices Slide on US-Iran Talks, Dollar Strength and Profit-Taking Pressure 
India–U.S. Interim Trade Pact Cuts Auto Tariffs but Leaves Tesla Out 
Trump’s Inflation Claims Clash With Voters’ Cost-of-Living Reality 
Thailand Inflation Remains Negative for 10th Straight Month in January 
Trump Lifts 25% Tariff on Indian Goods in Strategic U.S.–India Trade and Energy Deal 
Vietnam’s Trade Surplus With US Jumps as Exports Surge and China Imports Hit Record 
Fed Governor Lisa Cook Warns Inflation Risks Remain as Rates Stay Steady 
RBI Holds Repo Rate at 5.25% as India’s Growth Outlook Strengthens After U.S. Trade Deal 
U.S.-India Trade Framework Signals Major Shift in Tariffs, Energy, and Supply Chains 
U.S. stock futures rose slightly on Sunday evening, extending Wall Street’s upbeat momentum after a strong October driven by optimism around artificial intelligence, robust corporate earnings, and easing U.S.-China trade tensions.
As of 19:30 ET (00:30 GMT), S&P 500 futures climbed 0.3% to 6,896.50 points, Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.4% to 26,107.0, and Dow Jones futures edged up 0.3% to 47,846.0.
The positive trend followed a strong close to October, where the S&P 500 advanced 2.3%, marking its sixth consecutive monthly gain. The Nasdaq Composite surged 4.7% during the month, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 2.5%. Market confidence was fueled by renewed enthusiasm for AI innovation and better-than-expected earnings from major tech firms.
Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) rallied nearly 10% after strong cloud division growth and an upbeat forecast. Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL), and Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) also posted solid gains after reporting robust quarterly results, reinforcing investor faith in the technology sector’s resilience.
Adding to the optimism, the Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 3.75%–4.00%, its first reduction in months. Although Chair Jerome Powell cautioned that future cuts are uncertain, markets viewed the move as a positive sign of support for economic growth amid moderating inflation.
Investor sentiment was further lifted by signs of easing trade friction between Washington and Beijing. Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping agreed to scale back certain tariffs and delay export restrictions, signaling progress in U.S.-China relations.
Looking ahead, traders are watching upcoming corporate earnings from major firms including Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD), Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:PLTR), Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM), Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER), and McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD), which could provide key insights into tech and consumer sector performance.
