Wall Street Ends Mixed as Tech Stocks Struggle Ahead of Micron Earnings 
South Korea Remains MSCI Emerging Market Despite Reform Progress 
U.S. Dollar Reaches One-Year High as Tech Sell-Off and Fed Rate Hike Expectations Support Demand 
Japan Signals Preference for Low Interest Rates as BOJ Policy Debate Intensifies 
Bank Regulation Rollbacks in the U.S. and UK Could Increase Financial Risks, Study Warns 
Asian Currencies Trade Mixed as Yen Hovers Near 40-Year Low, Dollar Holds Firm on Fed Outlook 
Australia Jobs Growth Strengthens Rate Hike Outlook 
Oil Prices Rebound as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Return After Ship Attack Near Oman 
Iran Attack in Strait of Hormuz Pushes Oil Prices Higher 
Trump Requests $11 Billion More in Farm Aid as Rising Costs Pressure U.S. Farmers 
Australian Household Spending Rebounds Strongly in May as Travel and Dining Drive Consumer Growth 
S&P Affirms Brazil’s BB Credit Rating with Stable Outlook Amid Fiscal Challenges 
Asian Markets Rally as Micron and Qualcomm AI Outlook Lifts Global Tech Stocks 
Wall Street Ends Mixed as Micron Surges, Apple Drops After Price Hikes 
Malaysia Central Bank Moves to Support Ringgit Amid Foreign Fund Outflows 
Bessent Says U.S. Must Strengthen Supply Chains and Economic Security 
Asian Stocks Sink as Apple Price Hikes Spark AI Valuation Fears, South Korea and Japan Lead Selloff 
U.S. stock index futures posted sharp gains Wednesday after President Donald Trump announced a temporary ceasefire agreement with Iran, lifting market sentiment and triggering a dramatic drop in oil prices. The development sparked optimism across financial markets, with investors betting that a resolution to the Middle East conflict could ease inflation fears and open the door for Federal Reserve interest rate cuts later this year.
S&P 500 futures climbed 2.7%, Nasdaq 100 futures surged 3.5%, and Dow Jones futures jumped 2.6% in early trading. The rally came after a largely flat session on Tuesday, when gains in semiconductor stocks were not enough to offset weakness elsewhere.
Oil prices tumbled more than 13% after Trump revealed that the U.S. had delayed planned military strikes against Iran for two weeks to allow time for a long-term peace agreement to take shape. The sharp decline in energy prices helped cool concerns about an inflation spike, pushing U.S. government bond yields lower and providing additional support for equities.
Trump said the ceasefire came after conversations with Pakistani leaders, who served as intermediaries between Washington and Tehran. Iran's foreign minister confirmed that Tehran would halt its defensive operations and guarantee safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz under coordinated conditions. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif invited both sides to Islamabad for talks on Friday.
Israel, which joined the U.S. in military operations against Iran in late February, expressed support for the truce. Strategists at Wolfe Research recommended buying into technology, semiconductors, industrials, and rate-sensitive sectors like housing on the back of the market bounce.
Despite the ceasefire announcement, reports of fresh drone and missile strikes in the Persian Gulf on Wednesday morning introduced renewed uncertainty, reminding investors that the path to lasting peace remains fragile.
