U.S.–Venezuela Relations Show Signs of Thaw as Top Envoy Visits Caracas 
Asian Stocks Waver as Trump Signals Fed Pick, Shutdown Deal and Tech Earnings Stir Markets 
Canada’s Trade Deficit Jumps in November as Exports Slide and Firms Diversify Away From U.S. 
Oil Prices Slide Nearly 3% as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Geopolitical Tensions 
UK Employers Plan Moderate Pay Rises as Inflation Pressures Ease but Persist 
China Factory Activity Slips in January as Weak Demand Weighs on Growth Outlook 
China Manufacturing PMI Slips Into Contraction in January as Weak Demand Pressures Economy 
South Korea Exports Surge in January on AI Chip Demand, Marking Fastest Growth in 4.5 Years 
Starmer’s China Visit Highlights Western Balancing Act Amid U.S.-China Rivalry 
Wall Street Slides as Warsh Fed Nomination, Hot Inflation, and Precious Metals Rout Shake Markets 
India Budget 2026: Modi Government Eyes Reforms Amid Global Uncertainty and Fiscal Pressures 
Dollar Holds Firm as Markets Weigh Warsh-Led Fed and Yen Weakness Ahead of Japan Election 
Gold Prices Pull Back After Record Highs as January Rally Remains Strong 
BOJ Policymakers Warn Weak Yen Could Fuel Inflation Risks and Delay Rate Action 
Indonesia Stocks Face Fragile Sentiment After MSCI Warning and Market Rout 
Wall Street index futures ticked up slightly on Wednesday evening, continuing the week’s positive sentiment as technology stocks staged a recovery and traders grew more confident that the Federal Reserve will move ahead with interest rate cuts in December. Despite the upbeat tone, overall trading volumes remained thin ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, while anticipation of key U.S. economic data next week kept some investors cautious.
S&P 500 futures edged up to 6,830.50 by 19:23 ET (00:23 GMT), while Nasdaq 100 futures added 0.1% to 25,321.25 points. Dow Jones futures also rose 0.1% to 47,519.0. The modest gains followed Wall Street’s fourth straight day of advances, driven largely by improving sentiment toward megacap tech stocks.
Investors found renewed optimism as spending on artificial intelligence technology remained strong, even as concerns lingered over competitive pressures in the AI chip market. NVIDIA shares climbed 1.4% after hitting a two-month low, following reports that Alphabet’s Google is developing its own AI chips and is in discussions with Meta to supply its data centers. Alphabet reached a record high earlier in the week before slipping 1% on Wednesday, while Meta also saw a slight decline after recent strong gains. Broader tech names continued to rebound after being hit earlier this quarter by worries over inflated AI valuations and circular funding trends.
Rate-cut expectations also boosted market sentiment. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, traders are now pricing in an 82.2% probability of a 25-basis-point cut at the Fed’s December 9–10 meeting, up sharply from just 24% a week earlier. Softer-than-expected September retail sales and producer inflation data added to the dovish outlook.
Markets are also watching the potential successor to Fed Chair Jerome Powell. Reports indicate that White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett—an ally of President Donald Trump—is the leading candidate. Hassett is widely expected to support more aggressive rate cuts, aligning with the administration’s calls for lower borrowing costs. Powell’s term ends in May 2026, but an announcement could come much sooner as Trump continues to criticize the current Fed leadership for resisting rapid rate reductions.
