Global Markets:
- Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei up 0.32%, Shanghai Composite up 0.40% Hang Seng up 0.90% ASX up 1.24%
- Commodities : Gold at $4,092.20 (0.53%) Silver at $59.580 (1.14%), Brent Oil at 87.40 (-4.67%), WTI Oil at 84.67 (-5.20%)
- Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.630, UK 10-year yield at 5.0346, Germany 10-year yield at 3.1728
News & Data:
- (USD) New Home Sales
- 628K to 609K expected
Markets Update:
U.S. stock futures climbed early Monday while oil prices dropped sharply after the United States and Iran paused hostilities, easing fears of a broader conflict in the Middle East. Dow futures gained 0.59%, S&P 500 futures rose 0.72%, and Nasdaq 100 futures advanced 1.16%.
Asian markets were mixed, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipping slightly, while the Topix, South Korea’s Kospi, Australia’s ASX 200, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng, and China’s CSI 300 all posted gains.
Brent crude futures fell more than 4% to around $92 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude declined to roughly $84 a barrel after Iran reportedly agreed to suspend attacks as long as the U.S. refrains from further strikes. Reuters said the pause followed concerns within the Trump administration over limited military targets and declining weapons stockpiles.
Despite easing geopolitical tensions, investors remain cautious after another weak week for U.S. equities. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq recorded back-to-back weekly losses, while the Dow posted its third consecutive weekly decline, weighed down by chip stocks and conflict-related uncertainty.
Markets now turn their focus to earnings from Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft, with investors closely watching AI spending trends. The Federal Reserve’s policy decision on Wednesday will also be closely monitored, as traders weigh the possibility of an earlier-than-expected interest rate hike.
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