S&P Affirms Brazil’s BB Credit Rating with Stable Outlook Amid Fiscal Challenges 
South Korea’s KOSPI Jumps Over 5% as Samsung, SK Hynix Rally on Micron Earnings Boost 
Asian Markets Rally as Micron and Qualcomm AI Outlook Lifts Global Tech Stocks 
Australian Household Spending Rebounds Strongly in May as Travel and Dining Drive Consumer Growth 
Gold Prices Rise Above $4,000 as Inflation Data and Weaker Dollar Boost Demand 
Asian Currencies Trade Mixed as Yen Hovers Near 40-Year Low, Dollar Holds Firm on Fed Outlook 
Bank Regulation Rollbacks in the U.S. and UK Could Increase Financial Risks, Study Warns 
Asian Stocks Sink as Apple Price Hikes Spark AI Valuation Fears, South Korea and Japan Lead Selloff 
Gold Prices Fall Below $4,000 as Strong Dollar, Fed Rate Hike Bets Weigh on Bullion 
World Bank Approves $1.1 Billion Emergency Funding for Bangladesh Amid Food and Energy Price Pressures 
Gold Drops Below $4,000 as Strong US Dollar and Fed Rate Hike Expectations Pressure Bullion 
Australia Jobs Growth Strengthens Rate Hike Outlook 
Trump Requests $11 Billion More in Farm Aid as Rising Costs Pressure U.S. Farmers 
Oil Prices Rebound as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Return After Ship Attack Near Oman 
BOJ Hawk Signals Faster Interest Rate Hikes Amid Inflation Risks 
Wall Street ended higher on Friday as investors digested U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest comments on China and encouraging earnings from regional banks helped ease concerns over credit risks. Trump acknowledged that his proposed 100% tariffs on Chinese goods would be unsustainable but continued to blame Beijing for stalled trade talks, following China’s move to tighten control over rare earth exports. The tariffs and new export restrictions on critical software are set to take effect on November 1.
Market sentiment improved after a turbulent week for financial stocks. Regional bank shares rebounded sharply following Thursday’s selloff triggered by Zions Bancorporation’s loan losses and Western Alliance’s lawsuit involving Cantor Group V, LLC. Analysts suggested fears over credit quality were overstated, with most banks showing strong fundamentals. Truist Financial gained 3.7% after reporting higher third-quarter profits, while Zions climbed 5.8%, Western Alliance rose 3.1%, and Fifth Third Bancorp added 1.3%.
The S&P Composite 1500 Regional Banks Index advanced 1.8% after a 6% drop the previous day, while the broader S&P 500 financial sector index gained 0.8%. Solid results from JPMorgan and other large banks boosted overall optimism for the third-quarter earnings season. Analysts now expect S&P 500 earnings to grow 9.3%, up from 8.8% earlier in October, according to LSEG I/B/E/S data.
The S&P 500 rose 0.53% to 6,664.01, the Nasdaq gained 0.52% to 22,679.98, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.52% to 46,190.61. Nine of the 11 major S&P sectors advanced, led by consumer staples, up 1.23%. For the week, the S&P 500 rose 1.7%, the Nasdaq 2.1%, and the Dow 1.6%. Market volatility eased, with the CBOE VIX dropping to 21.5 points. Tesla gained 2.5%, Apple rose 2%, and Amazon slipped 0.7%. Eli Lilly fell 2% after Trump vowed to lower weight-loss drug prices, while State Street declined 1.4% on weaker net interest income.
