Thailand Inflation Remains Negative for 10th Straight Month in January 
Asian Markets Slip as AI Spending Fears Shake Tech, Wall Street Futures Rebound 
Gold and Silver Prices Rebound After Volatile Week Triggered by Fed Nomination 
Australia’s December Trade Surplus Expands but Falls Short of Expectations 
Trump Endorses Japan’s Sanae Takaichi Ahead of Crucial Election Amid Market and China Tensions 
South Korea’s Weak Won Struggles as Retail Investors Pour Money Into U.S. Stocks 
Asian Stocks Slip as Tech Rout Deepens, Japan Steadies Ahead of Election 
U.S.-India Trade Framework Signals Major Shift in Tariffs, Energy, and Supply Chains 
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility 
China Extends Gold Buying Streak as Reserves Surge Despite Volatile Prices 
Singapore Budget 2026 Set for Fiscal Prudence as Growth Remains Resilient 
RBI Holds Repo Rate at 5.25% as India’s Growth Outlook Strengthens After U.S. Trade Deal 
U.S. Stock Futures Edge Higher as Tech Rout Deepens on AI Concerns and Earnings 
Trump Lifts 25% Tariff on Indian Goods in Strategic U.S.–India Trade and Energy Deal 
Dollar Steadies Ahead of ECB and BoE Decisions as Markets Turn Risk-Off 
Oil Prices Slip as U.S.–Iran Talks Ease Supply Disruption Fears 
Global Markets Slide as AI, Crypto, and Precious Metals Face Heightened Volatility 
Wall Street’s three major indexes closed at record highs on Thursday, driven largely by strength in the technology sector, even as investors weighed weak labor market signals during the ongoing U.S. government shutdown.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 78.62 points, or 0.17%, closing at 46,519.72. The S&P 500 edged up 4.15 points, or 0.06%, to 6,715.35, while the Nasdaq Composite advanced 88.89 points, or 0.39%, to 22,844.05. The Nasdaq was the day’s top gainer, supported by heavyweight technology stocks including Nvidia, Apple, and Broadcom. Both the Dow and the S&P 500 notched consecutive record closes, while the Nasdaq narrowly missed one after hitting an intraday high.
Investor focus turned to private labor market reports, as official government data remained unavailable due to the shutdown. Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported fewer layoffs in September, but noted that 2024 hiring plans are the weakest since 2009. This followed a softer-than-expected ADP employment report a day earlier, intensifying speculation about the Federal Reserve’s next moves. Markets are now widely pricing in two additional rate cuts this year, including one expected in late October.
Sector performance highlighted the tech industry’s 0.5% gain, with semiconductor stocks jumping 1.9% to reach a record closing high. Materials advanced 1%, while energy lagged, dropping 1%. Consumer discretionary was the biggest drag, as Tesla shares tumbled 5%, their steepest fall since July, despite strong quarterly deliveries. Analysts cited risks from the expiration of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit.
Other notable moves included sharp declines in Equifax (–8.5%) and TransUnion (–10.6%) after FICO launched a new credit score program that bypasses the bureaus, boosting its own shares nearly 18%. Occidental Petroleum fell 7.3% after announcing a $9.7 billion sale of its petrochemical unit to Berkshire Hathaway.
Despite shutdown worries, market breadth was positive, with advancing stocks outpacing decliners on both the NYSE and Nasdaq. Trading volume remained in line with the 20-day average, signaling steady investor confidence even in a cautious environment.
