Asian Currencies Steady as Fed Delivers Hawkish Rate Cut; Aussie and Rupee Under Pressure 
Global Markets Slide as Tech Stocks Sink, Yields Rise, and AI Concerns Deepen 
Gold Prices Slip Slightly in Asia as Silver Nears Record Highs on Dovish Fed Outlook 
Fed Near Neutral Signals Caution Ahead, Shifting Focus to Fixed Income in 2026 
Australia’s Labour Market Weakens as November Employment Drops Sharply 
Fed’s Dovish Tone Sends Dollar Lower as Markets Price In More Rate Cuts 
Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Indian Rupee Slides to Record Low on Fed Outlook 
South Korea Extends Bond Market Stabilization Measures Amid Rising Financial Risks 
Asian Stocks Slip as Oracle Earnings Miss Sparks AI Profitability Concerns 
Japan Business Sentiment Hits Four-Year High, Boosting Expectations of BOJ Rate Hike 
Hong Kong Cuts Base Rate as HKMA Follows U.S. Federal Reserve Move 
U.S. Dollar Slides for Third Straight Week as Rate Cut Expectations Boost Euro and Pound 
Gold Prices Dip as Markets Absorb Dovish Fed Outlook; Silver Eases After Record High 
Indonesia–U.S. Tariff Talks Near Completion as Both Sides Push for Year-End Deal 
Russia Stocks End Flat as Energy and Retail Shares Show Mixed Performance 
Oil Prices Rebound in Asia as Venezuela Sanctions Risks Offset Ukraine Peace Hopes 
U.S. stock futures ticked up Thursday evening after Wall Street closed at record highs, fueled by a rally in Intel and optimism over the Federal Reserve’s first rate cut since December. By 20:16 ET (00:16 GMT), S&P 500 Futures rose 0.2% to 6,704.75, Nasdaq 100 Futures climbed 0.2% to 24,747.75, and Dow Jones Futures gained 0.2% to 46,601.
In regular trading, the S&P 500 advanced 0.5% to 6,631.95, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.3% to 46,142.24, and the NASDAQ Composite jumped 0.9% to 22,470.73 — all marking fresh record closes.
Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) surged more than 22% after Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) announced a $5 billion investment in the chipmaker, with plans to collaborate on data center and PC processors. The partnership seeks to merge Intel’s x86 architecture and large-scale manufacturing with Nvidia’s AI and graphics platforms, easing investor worries about Intel’s competitive edge.
The deal follows a U.S. government-backed investment in Intel aimed at reviving the struggling chip giant. Nvidia’s involvement gives Intel a critical boost after years of failed turnaround efforts. The news also steadied Nvidia shares, which had dipped earlier in the week amid reports that China directed local tech firms to stop buying its AI chips, a move seen as part of Beijing’s push to strengthen its domestic semiconductor industry.
Broader market sentiment also benefited from the Fed’s 25-basis-point rate cut, lowering the benchmark range to 4.00%-4.25%. Officials projected two more cuts in 2025 and another in 2026. Fed Chair Jerome Powell described the decision as a “risk-management cut,” noting persistent inflation and uneven economic signals. He emphasized that future easing will depend on economic data rather than committing to an aggressive cutting cycle.
