India Stocks Muted in Morning Trade

US stock futures jumped on Thursday after President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that there would be a news conference later today to announce a deal with a “big” country, reportedly the UK. Meanwhile, Trump said he would not lower tariffs on China as a condition to begin trade negotiations ahead of US-China talks in Switzerland this weekend.

On the monetary policy front, the Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged as expected on Wednesday, while warning of rising risks to both inflation and unemployment.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell adopted a cautious tone, dismissing the idea of a preemptive rate cut in response to potential effects from tariffs.

In regular trading on Wednesday, the Dow rose 0.7%, the S&P 500 gained 0.43%, and the Nasdaq Composite added 0.27%.

In corporate news, AppLovin surged 13% in extended trading after beating Wall Street estimates and announcing a deal to sell its mobile gaming division.

US stock futures jumped on Thursday after President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that there would be a news conference later today to announce a deal with a “big” country, reportedly the UK. Meanwhile, Trump said he would not lower tariffs on China as a condition to begin trade negotiations ahead of US-China talks in Switzerland this weekend.

On the monetary policy front, the Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged as expected on Wednesday, while warning of rising risks to both inflation and unemployment.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell adopted a cautious tone, dismissing the idea of a preemptive rate cut in response to potential effects from tariffs.

In regular trading on Wednesday, the Dow rose 0.7%, the S&P 500 gained 0.43%, and the Nasdaq Composite added 0.27%.

In corporate news, AppLovin surged 13% in extended trading after beating Wall Street estimates and announcing a deal to sell its mobile gaming division.

The Shanghai Composite rose 0.2% to around 3,350 while the Shenzhen Component climbed 0.6% to 10,160 on Thursday, extending recent gains, buoyed by fresh stimulus measures and optimism surrounding upcoming US-China trade talks.

On Wednesday, China’s central bank announced plans to cut key lending rates by 10 basis points and reduce banks’ reserve requirement ratio (RRR) by 50 basis points in a bid to bolster economic growth.

Adding to the positive momentum, China confirmed that Vice Premier He Lifeng will meet with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Switzerland later this week—the first direct talks aimed at addressing tariff tensions in the ongoing trade war.

Despite the diplomatic move, President Donald Trump reiterated that he would not lower tariffs as a precondition for launching formal negotiations.

Technology stocks led the rally, with notable gains from Eoptolink Technology (+8.4%), Avic Chengdu (+13.7%), Luxshare Precision (+3.3%), and Zhongji Innolight (+6%).

The S&P/ASX 200 Index fell 0.2% to around 8,160 on Thursday, reversing gains from the previous session as market caution took hold.

The pullback followed the US Federal Reserve’s decision to hold interest rates steady, with Fed Chair Jerome Powell signaling a cautious approach and ruling out a preemptive rate cut in response to the potential economic impacts of tariffs.

Adding to investor unease, US President Donald Trump stated he would not reduce tariffs on China as a precondition for resuming trade negotiations.

Top US and Chinese officials are scheduled to meet in Switzerland this weekend to discuss trade relations, adding further geopolitical tension.

Leading losses on the ASX were ANZ Group (-2.2%), Westpac Banking (-3.6%), CSL Ltd (-1%), Woodside Energy (-1%), and Pilbara Minerals (-7.3%).

The S&P/ASX 200 Index fell 0.2% to around 8,160 on Thursday, reversing gains from the previous session as market caution took hold.

The pullback followed the US Federal Reserve’s decision to hold interest rates steady, with Fed Chair Jerome Powell signaling a cautious approach and ruling out a preemptive rate cut in response to the potential economic impacts of tariffs.

Adding to investor unease, US President Donald Trump stated he would not reduce tariffs on China as a precondition for resuming trade negotiations.

Top US and Chinese officials are scheduled to meet in Switzerland this weekend to discuss trade relations, adding further geopolitical tension.

Leading losses on the ASX were ANZ Group (-2.2%), Westpac Banking (-3.6%), CSL Ltd (-1%), Woodside Energy (-1%), and Pilbara Minerals (-7.3%).

US stock futures held steady on Thursday after the Federal Reserve opted to keep interest rates unchanged, while warning of rising risks to both inflation and unemployment.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell adopted a cautious tone, emphasizing persistent uncertainty and noting that the central bank is in no hurry to cut rates without clearer signs from economic data.

He also dismissed the idea of a preemptive rate cut in response to potential effects from President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

In regular trading on Wednesday, the Dow rose 0.7%, the S&P 500 gained 0.43%, and the Nasdaq Composite added 0.27%.

Nvidia, a standout in the AI sector, climbed 3.1% following a Bloomberg report that the Trump administration plans to lift trade restrictions on semiconductor chips.

Meanwhile, AppLovin surged 13% in extended trading after beating Wall Street estimates and announcing a deal to sell its mobile gaming division.