Stock Markets

Stock Markets
US futures rebound; Trump softens tone on China
United States stock futures rebounded on Sunday evening (Monday AEDT), recovering from Friday’s sharp losses after President Donald Trump struck a more conciliatory tone on China, telling investors that trade relations “will all be fine”. By 9:50 am AEDT (10:50 pm GMT), Dow futures were up 0.8%, S&P 500 futures gained 0.9%, and Nasdaq-100 futures advanced 1.2%. The moves followed Trump’s Sunday post on Truth Social, which suggested that his administration may not immediately move forward with a “massive increase of tariffs” on Chinese imports - a threat he issued just days earlier. Vice President JD Vance reinforced the administration’s softened tone in an interview with Fox News, saying the U.S. would be open to negotiations if Beijing is “willing to be reasonable”, while warning that Washington still holds “far more cards” should talks falter. The reassurance helped calm investor nerves, particularly in the technology sector, which suffered the steepest losses on Friday. Many U.S. tech firms rely heavily on Chinese rare earth minerals for the production of semiconductors, electric vehicles, and other advanced components, making them particularly sensitive to trade disruptions. All three major U.S. benchmarks fi
Stock Markets
Wall Street tumbles; Trump threatens new China tariffs
United States markets tumbled on Friday as President Donald Trump’s renewed threat of higher tariffs on China sparked a sharp sell-off, pulling major benchmarks from record highs and rattling investors already unnerved by the ongoing government shutdown. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 878.8 points, or 1.9%, to 45,479.6, while the S&P 500 sank 182.6 points, or 2.7%, to close at 6,552.5. The Nasdaq Composite slid 820.2 points, or 3.6%, to 22,204.4, marking its steepest one-day decline since April. Before Trump’s comments, all three major indices had been trading firmly higher, with the Nasdaq touching a new all-time intraday peak. The president accused China of “becoming very hostile” and of holding the world “captive” through its control of rare earth metals - a crucial input for technology and defence manufacturing. “I was to meet President Xi in two weeks, at APEC, in South Korea, but now there seems to be no reason to do so,” said Trump in a post on Truth Social. “One of the policies that we are calculating at this moment is a massive increase of tariffs on Chinese products coming into the United States of America.” His comments came just days after Beijing tightened its grip on the rare earths market
Stock Markets
US futures rise despite markets closing lower
United States stock futures continued to climb on Thursday night (Friday AEDT) although markets had closed lower after reaching record highs earlier in the week. Dow futures were up 0.09% to 46,635.00 as of 9:50 am AEDT, while S&P 500 futures rose 0.08% to 6,784.75 and Nasdaq futures increased 0.10% to 25,314.25. The Dow Jones Industrial Average had closed 0.52% lower the previous day. The S&P closed 0.28% lower, and the Nasdaq closed 0.06% lower. U.S. economic data, including September’s jobs report, has largely been delayed amid the ongoing government shutdown. The consumer price index is expected on 15 October, but will also be affected by the shutdown if it continues. Nvidia stock was up 1.43% in pre-market trading, following reports that it had backed a US$20 billion funding round by Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI. Semiconductor company SEALSQ’s shares continued to rise by 6.19% pre-market. Its shares surged by 39.7% yesterday after it announced a partnership with Trusted Semiconductor Solutions to develop post-quantum cryptography technology for U.S. government agencies. Earnings reports yesterday from Delta Air Lines and PepsiCo surpassed estimates, with reporting season to fully beg
Stock Markets
US markets slip from record highs as shutdown drags
United States major benchmark averages slipped on Thursday (Friday AEDT), with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite pulling back from record highs, as investors monitored the ongoing U.S. government shutdown and its potential impact on the economy. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 243.4 points, or 0.5%, to 46,358.4. The S&P 500 fell 18.6 points, or 0.3%, to 6,735.1, while the Nasdaq Composite eased 18.8 points, or 0.1%, to 23,024.6. Both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq had hit all-time highs in the previous session, with the S&P 500 marking its eighth gain in the past nine trading days and the Nasdaq closing above the 23,000 mark for the first time. The Dow, meanwhile, finished slightly below flat on Wednesday as blue-chip stocks lagged. Tech shares were mixed on Thursday. Oracle and Nvidia, both major players in artificial intelligence, rose after recovering from early-week losses linked to concerns over Oracle’s cloud margins and its leasing of Nvidia chips. Nvidia reached a new all-time high during the session. Investors’ attention remained fixed on Washington, where the federal government shutdown entered its ninth day. The Senate failed for a seventh time to approve a funding package, showing little progress b
Stock Markets
US futures edge higher after fresh S&P, Nasdaq record
United States stock futures edged higher on Wednesday night (Thursday AEDT) after the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite refreshed all-time highs, extending the market’s recent winning streak. By 9:20 am AEDT (10:20 pm GMT), Dow futures were up 0.04%, while S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures each gained 0.1%. The S&P 500’s rise on Wednesday marked its eighth winning session in the past nine. The Nasdaq Composite climbed more than 1%, closing above 23,000 for the first time. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, meanwhile, ended slightly lower as blue-chip stocks lagged behind the broader rally. Nvidia helped limit broader market losses, advancing more than 2% after CEO Jensen Huang told CNBC that computing demand has “gone up substantially” this year. With the ongoing U.S. government shutdown curtailing federal data releases, Thursday’s economic calendar is expected to be quiet. However, investors will closely watch remarks from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, who is scheduled to speak at a community banking conference. Several other Fed officials, including Michelle Bowman and Mary Daly, are also set to deliver speeches later in the day. The commentary follows the release of the Fed’s September meeting minutes, which

Stock Markets
S&P 500, Nasdaq renew records as tech rally extends
The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite notched fresh record highs on Wednesday (Thursday AEDT) as investors looked past the ongoing United States government shutdown and a divided Federal Reserve, as chip stocks pushed higher. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped just 1.20 points to close at 46,601.8, while the S&P 500 advanced 39.1 points or 0.6% to finish at 6,753.7, and the Nasdaq Composite rose 255.0 points or 1.1% to end at 23,043.4. Stocks showed little reaction to minutes from the Federal Reserve’s September meeting, which revealed internal disagreement among policymakers following the central bank’s first rate cut of 2025. The minutes showed some members favouring additional easing, while others preferred a pause to assess inflation progress. Chipmakers led the gains, while energy, consumer staples, and homebuilder stocks lagged. A report from the Mortgage Bankers Association showed U.S. mortgage demand dropped 4.7% last week despite slightly lower borrowing costs. Nvidia shares climbed 2% after CEO Jensen Huang said demand had increased sharply in recent months, telling CNBC that “this year, particularly the last six months, demand of computing has gone up substantially”. Huang also confirmed Nvidia’s p
Stock Markets
US futures tick up; investors eye Fed minutes, shutdown
United States stock futures rose modestly on Tuesday night (Wednesday AEDT) as investors weighed ongoing concerns over the prolonged U.S. government shutdown and awaited key Federal Reserve meeting minutes for policy insights. By 9:20 am AEDT (10:20 pm GMT), futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq 100 were each up 0.1%. The uptick came after Wall Street’s major averages ended lower in the previous session, snapping the S&P 500’s seven-day winning streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.2%, the S&P 500 declined 0.4% and the Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.7%. The sell-off was largely driven by weakness in Oracle, which lost 2.5% after The Information reported that margins from its cloud business were lower than analysts had projected, and that the software company was losing money on certain deals involving Nvidia chip rentals. The report reignited investor concerns over the sustainability of the artificial intelligence trade. Meanwhile, the U.S. government shutdown extended into its second week, raising investor caution even as equities have remained resilient. While the market impact has so far been limited, sentiment could potentially deteriorate if the political deadlock dra
Stock Markets
US markets slip from records as shutdown drags on
United States benchmarks closed lower on Tuesday (Wednesday AEDT), closing below recent record highs as a sell-off in Oracle shares weighed on technology stocks and investors grew increasingly concerned about Washington’s continuing government shutdown. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 92 points or 0.2% to 46,603.0. The S&P 500 fell 25.7 points or 0.4% to close at 6,714.6, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 153.3 points or 0.7% to finish at 22,788.4. Oracle shares dropped 2.5% after The Information reported the company is earning thinner margins on its cloud business than analysts had expected and is losing money on some deals involving the rental of Nvidia chips. However, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang brushed off the report, telling CNBC’s Jim Cramer that Oracle is “going to do incredibly well”. Despite the broader weakness, IBM rose 1.6% after announcing a partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic, a move seen by investors as a strategic step into the fast-growing AI sector. Meanwhile, the U.S. government shutdown entered its second week, with the Senate again failing to pass a House bill that would have funded federal operations through 21 November. The measure fell short of the 60 votes req
Stock Markets
US futures flat after S&P 500, Nasdaq refresh records
United States stock futures were steady on Monday night (Tuesday AEDT) after Wall Street extended its rally to fresh records at the start of the week. By 9:40 am AEDT (10:40 pm GMT), futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq 100 were all trading within a tight ±0.1% range. In extended trading, shares of Constellation Brands, the maker of Modelo beer, climbed more than 3.1% after the company topped Wall Street’s expectations for both revenue and earnings per share. The drinks giant maintained its lowered full-year guidance, citing ongoing macroeconomic headwinds. Net sales fell 15% from a year earlier to US$2.48 billion, while operating margins contracted in part due to higher aluminium tariffs. Meanwhile, Aehr Test Systems shares plunged 21.2% after the semiconductor testing company said it was “not yet reinstating formal guidance” amid tariff-related uncertainty. Aehr reported adjusted earnings of $0.01 per share, slightly ahead of expectations for flat results, on revenue of $11 million versus expectations of $10.79 million. Stocks rallied to new highs on Monday, buoyed by optimism over accelerating mergers and acquisitions activity and growing confidence in an imminent Federal Reser

Stock Markets

US futures rebound; Trump softens tone on China

Wall Street tumbles; Trump threatens new China tariffs

US futures rise despite markets closing lower

US markets slip from record highs as shutdown drags

US futures edge higher after fresh S&P, Nasdaq record

S&P 500, Nasdaq renew records as tech rally extends

US futures tick up; investors eye Fed minutes, shutdown

US markets slip from records as shutdown drags on

US futures flat after S&P 500, Nasdaq refresh records