Trump Requests $11 Billion More in Farm Aid as Rising Costs Pressure U.S. Farmers 
Iran Attack in Strait of Hormuz Pushes Oil Prices Higher 
Asian Stocks Sink as Apple Price Hikes Spark AI Valuation Fears, South Korea and Japan Lead Selloff 
South Korea’s KOSPI Jumps Over 5% as Samsung, SK Hynix Rally on Micron Earnings Boost 
Wall Street Ends Mixed as Micron Surges, Apple Drops After Price Hikes 
Oil Prices Drop as Strait of Hormuz Shipping Recovers 
SpaceX Eyes Starlink Mobile Phone Service to Challenge Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile 
S&P Affirms Brazil’s BB Credit Rating with Stable Outlook Amid Fiscal Challenges 
Gold Prices Fall Below $4,000 as Strong Dollar, Fed Rate Hike Bets Weigh on Bullion 
US Dollar Slips After PCE Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
Gold Prices Rise Above $4,000 as Inflation Data and Weaker Dollar Boost Demand 
Oil Prices Drop as Middle East Supply Recovery Eases Market Concerns 
Asian Currencies Trade Mixed as Yen Hovers Near 40-Year Low, Dollar Holds Firm on Fed Outlook 
Asian Markets Rally as Micron and Qualcomm AI Outlook Lifts Global Tech Stocks 
White House Seeks $87.6 Billion Emergency Funding for Iran War, Farmers, and Ebola Response 
Gold Drops Below $4,000 as Strong US Dollar and Fed Rate Hike Expectations Pressure Bullion 
US Dollar Slips After PCE Inflation Data as Fed Rate Hike Expectations Stay Elevated 
U.S. stock futures traded slightly lower on Wednesday evening as investors assessed a mixed round of earnings from major technology companies and absorbed the Federal Reserve’s latest policy update, while remaining cautious ahead of more high-profile corporate results. S&P 500 futures slipped about 0.2% to 6,994 points, Nasdaq 100 futures were little changed at around 26,160 points, and Dow Jones futures declined roughly 0.3% to near 49,019 points, reflecting a subdued risk appetite in late trading.
During the regular session, Wall Street closed mostly flat, with the S&P 500 hovering near record levels. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Nasdaq Composite managed modest gains, signaling that investors were reluctant to take aggressive positions before a wave of key earnings reports. After the bell, market reactions were driven largely by results from heavyweight technology firms, which set the tone for stock futures.
Meta Platforms shares surged nearly 8% in extended trading after the company issued an upbeat revenue outlook for the first quarter. Strong advertising demand and improving returns from artificial intelligence investments helped reassure investors about growth prospects in the digital advertising space. Tesla stock also rose close to 2% after the electric vehicle maker delivered fourth-quarter earnings that exceeded analyst expectations, easing some concerns around demand and margins.
In contrast, Microsoft weighed on sentiment after its shares dropped about 7% following the release of its fiscal second-quarter results. Slower growth in the company’s cloud business and weaker-than-expected guidance for operating margins highlighted near-term cost pressures tied to heavy AI-related spending, sparking investor caution across the tech sector.
On the macroeconomic front, the Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged at 3.50%–3.75%, marking its first pause after three consecutive rate cuts. The central bank pointed to still-elevated inflation, steady economic growth, and a stabilizing labor market, while offering limited clarity on the timing of future rate reductions. Investors are now closely watching upcoming earnings from Apple, Caterpillar, and Lockheed Martin for further insight into corporate health, cost pressures, and broader economic momentum.
