Most Asian markets remain shut today due to a regional holiday, with Taiwan being the key exception, where equities are trading sharply lower. Meanwhile, U.S. stock futures slipped in early trade, following the Dow Jones’ longest winning streak in over two decades, as investors tread cautiously ahead of potential U.S.-China trade talks and the upcoming Federal Reserve policy meeting.
At 8:00 AM IST, Dow Futures were down 276 points (-0.67%) at 41,042, while Nasdaq Futures declined 167 points (-0.83%) to 19,935. The US Small Cap 2000 Futures also dropped by 1.11% to 1,998.
In Asia, the Taiex Futures (Taiwan) led regional weakness, falling 1.82% or 378 points to 20,304. In contrast, the Gift Nifty—an indicator of India’s market opening—rose 109 points (+0.45%) to 24,510, hinting at a firm start for Indian equities.
Crude oil prices dropped more than 3%, as reports suggest that OPEC may raise production levels despite prevailing concerns over weak global demand.
This comes after U.S. benchmarks rallied strongly in the previous session, with the Dow Jones gaining 564 points (+1.39%) and the Nasdaq Composite rising 267 points (+1.51%), bolstered by strong earnings and optimism around a soft landing for the U.S. economy.
