S&P 500 Surges Ahead of Trump Inauguration as Markets Rally 
U.S. Stock Futures Rise as Trump Takes Office, Corporate Earnings Awaited 
Asian Currencies Steady as Markets Await Fed Rate Decision; Indian Rupee Hits New Record Low 
IMF Deputy Dan Katz Visits China as Key Economic Review Nears 
Dollar Slips as Weak U.S. Manufacturing Data Increases Pressure for Fed Rate Cuts 
Tech Stocks Rally in Asia-Pacific as Dollar Remains Resilient 
U.S. Cyber Monday Online Sales Surge Past $9.1 Billion as Holiday Shopping Momentum Builds 
China Urged to Prioritize Economy Over Territorial Ambitions, Says Taiwan’s President Lai 
U.S. Stocks Slip as Investors Await Fed Rate Decision and Monitor Market Shifts 
Apple Downgraded by Jefferies Amid Weak iPhone Sales and AI Concerns 
Why your retirement fund might soon include cryptocurrency 
China's Refining Industry Faces Major Shakeup Amid Challenges 
Oil Prices Rise as Geopolitical Tensions and Supply Risks Intensify 
Asian Currencies Steady as Rupee Hits Record Low Amid Fed Rate Cut Bets 
Asian Markets Stabilize as Wall Street Rebounds and Rate Concerns Ease 
Dollar Holds Steady as Markets Shift Focus to 2026 Rate Cut Expectations 
RBA Signals Possible Rate Implications as Inflation Proves More Persistent 
U.S. stock futures edged higher Thursday evening after Wall Street’s sharp decline, fueled by uncertainty over President Donald Trump’s shifting tariff policies. Investors remained cautious ahead of a crucial employment report expected to offer insights into the U.S. economy.
S&P 500 Futures rose 0.3% to 5,674.65, Nasdaq 100 Futures gained 0.5% to 20,190.75, and Dow Jones Futures inched up 0.2% to 42,680.0.
Markets remained on edge after Trump announced a temporary exemption for Canadian and Mexican imports under USMCA, delaying a 25% tariff until April 2. In response, Canada postponed its planned $125 billion in retaliatory tariffs. Despite these delays, investor sentiment remained weak due to the White House’s unpredictable trade policies.
On Thursday, the Dow dropped 1%, the S&P 500 fell 1.8%, and the Nasdaq sank 2.6%, driven by sharp losses in the tech sector. NVIDIA (NVDA) plunged 5.7%, Tesla (TSLA) tumbled 5.6%, and Broadcom (AVGO) fell 6.3% despite strong earnings. Marvell Technology (MRVL) plummeted nearly 20% after disappointing AI-driven growth projections.
Meanwhile, labor market data showed jobless claims fell to 221,000 last week, suggesting strength in employment. However, federal unemployment claims surged due to mass layoffs by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, aiming to cut inefficiencies.
Investors now await Friday’s employment report for further clarity on economic stability and potential Federal Reserve rate decisions amid rising factory costs and tariff concerns.
