U.S. stock index futures traded without a clear direction on Wednesday, as investors weighed fast-moving geopolitical developments involving Venezuela against a busy slate of upcoming U.S. economic indicators that could help clarify the outlook for growth, inflation, and monetary policy heading into 2026. Trading sentiment remained cautious after recent gains …

Bitcoin retreated on Wednesday, giving back gains from a brief recovery in the previous session, as a combination of geopolitical uncertainty and investor caution ahead of key U.S. economic data dampened appetite for risk-sensitive digital assets. The broader cryptocurrency market also traded softer despite supportive corporate-index developments, underscoring a fragile …

Gold prices slipped in Asian trading on Wednesday as investors booked profits following a strong two-day rally, while markets continued to weigh heightened geopolitical risks and looked ahead to key U.S. economic data later this week. Spot gold fell 1% to $4,450.55 an ounce by 02:13 ET (07:13 GMT), while …

Oil prices declined on Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington had reached an agreement to import around $2 billion worth of Venezuelan crude, a move expected to increase supply to the world’s largest oil-consuming economy. By 05:50 GMT, Brent crude futures were down 1.3% at $59.89 per barrel, …

Canada’s services economy stayed in contraction territory in December, as mounting trade uncertainty continued to pressure employment and client activity, according to S&P Global’s latest services PMI released Tuesday. The Business Activity Index rose to 46.5 from 44.3 in November, marking a modest improvement but remaining well below the 50-point …

German inflation cooled more than expected in December, falling to 2.0% year-on-year, according to preliminary figures released Tuesday by the federal statistics office. Economists polled by Reuters had expected EU-harmonised inflation to ease to 2.2% from 2.6% in November. Core inflation — which excludes food and energy — also moderated, …

U.S. stock index futures were little changed in early Tuesday trading after Wall Street closed higher in the prior session, with gains led by energy shares following the U.S. operation in Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. By 06:30 ET (11:30 GMT), S&P 500 futures were largely unchanged …

Oil prices rose modestly in European trading on Tuesday as volatility eased and traders continued to assess the implications of the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and the political transition now under way in the country. Crude benchmarks ended higher after a turbulent session on Monday, when prices …

Bitcoin held largely steady on Tuesday after improving risk sentiment supported modest early-year gains in the world’s largest cryptocurrency, although renewed worries surrounding major Bitcoin-treasury companies limited further upside. Bitcoin rose 1.3% to $93,576.7 by 00:59 ET (05:59 GMT), recovering alongside broader risk assets. The token is still nursing a …

European shares moved slightly higher on Tuesday as investors monitored fast-moving geopolitical developments, while overall risk appetite remained broadly resilient. The pan-European Stoxx 600 rose 0.3% by mid-morning, with Germany’s DAX up 0.1%. U.K. equities outperformed, gaining 0.6%, while France’s CAC 40 slipped 0.1% as of 08:40 GMT. The cautious …