Key Takeaways KOSPI tumbles: South Korea’s index plunged 3.5% — the worst performer in Asia — on steep losses in major chipmaking stocks. Chip exports not discussed: U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told Bloomberg that chip export controls weren’t part of Thursday’s U.S.-China talks. Decision left to Beijing: Greer said …

Key Takeaways Modest monthly gain: U.S. retail sales rose 0.5% in April to $757.1 billion, matching market expectations. March revised down: The prior month’s reading was revised to 1.6% from the initial 1.7%. Strong annual growth: Retail sales were up 4.9% year-on-year in April. Three-month trend: Total sales for February …

Key Takeaways Futures climb: Dow futures rose 396 points (+0.8%), S&P 500 futures gained 0.3%, and Nasdaq 100 futures added 0.3%. Records keep falling: The S&P 500 notched a fresh all-time peak Wednesday, while the Nasdaq Composite spiked 1.2%. Trump-Xi friendly tone: Trump hailed “extremely positive and constructive discussions” with …

Key Takeaways Pound slips: GBP/USD fell 0.01% to 1.3520, while EUR/USD eased 0.02% to 1.1712. Strong UK GDP: Q1 GDP grew 0.6% quarter-on-quarter, in line with expectations and up from Q4’s 0.2%. Annual surprise: GDP expanded 1.1% year-on-year, beating the 0.8% consensus. March defies forecasts: Monthly GDP rose 0.3% versus …

Key Takeaways Mixed gold action: Spot gold edged 0.3% higher to $4,700.25 per ounce, while U.S. gold futures eased 0.2% to $4,697.97. Sidelined investors: Traders largely stayed on the sidelines during the opening day of the two-day Trump-Xi summit. Xi’s positive tone: The Chinese president said both nations had made …

Key Takeaways Modest pullback: Brent crude fell 0.4% to $105.18 per barrel, while WTI slipped 0.7% to $100.33. Weekly gains intact: Both contracts are still set for sharp weekly gains despite Thursday’s dip. Conciliatory summit: Trump-Xi meeting wrapped after 2 hours 15 minutes, with leaders striking a friendly tone despite …

Key Takeaways Q1 GDP beats expectations: UK economy grew 0.6% quarter-on-quarter, accelerating from Q4 2025’s 0.2% rise. Annual growth strong: GDP rose 1.1% year-on-year in Q1 — well above the 0.8% expected. March defies forecasts: Monthly GDP rose 0.3% in March, beating expectations for a 0.1% drop despite the Iran …

Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) Technical Analysis The Dow Jones Industrial Average extended its gains on Wall Street in line with the bullish trajectory projected in our previous technical report, climbing to an intraday high of 49,931. Technical Outlook for Today’s Session – 4-Hour Timeframe: With respect to intraday dynamics, …

USD/CAD Technical Analysis The USD/CAD pair is consolidating sideways within a narrow trading range and exhibiting a modest upward bias, currently hovering around the psychological barrier at 1.3700. Technical Outlook – 4-Hour Timeframe On the short-term horizon, the pair has successfully established a foothold above the 1.3660 support floor, staging …

GBP/USD Technical Analysis The GBP/USD pair is staging limited recovery attempts across its intraday price action, seeking to claw back a portion of the losses sustained during the previous trading session. Technical Outlook – 4-Hour Timeframe: Within the intraday landscape, the simple moving averages continue to function as dynamic resistance, …