Global Markets:
- Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei up 0.76%, Shanghai Composite up 1.08% Hang Seng down 0.63% ASX down 0.64%
- Commodities : Gold at $3,991.97 (-1.15%) Silver at $58.275 (-2.77%), Brent Oil at $73.22 (0.37%), WTI Oil at $69.77 (0.36%)
- Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.467, UK 10-year yield at 4.7592, Germany 10-year yield at 2.9101
News & Data:
- (CAD) GDP m/m 0.5% to 0.4% expected
Markets Update:
The Japanese yen weakened to a fresh 40-year low of 162.28 per U.S. dollar on Wednesday, extending losses from the previous session as traders remained alert for possible intervention by Japanese authorities. Meanwhile, U.S. stock futures edged lower after Wall Street ended the first half of 2026 with solid gains. Dow futures slipped 0.2%, while S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures traded little changed.
On Tuesday, all three major U.S. indexes closed higher. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.26%, the S&P 500 rose 0.79%, and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 1.52%. For the first half of 2026, the Dow climbed 8.9%, its strongest first-half performance since 2021. The S&P 500 gained 9.6%, while the Nasdaq surged 12.8%. The Russell 2000 outperformed with a nearly 22% jump.
Technology and AI-related stocks continued to drive the market higher, with chipmakers adding roughly $2 trillion in market value during the second quarter. However, some analysts cautioned that semiconductor stocks may be becoming overextended despite strong long-term prospects.
Across Asia, markets were mixed. Japan and South Korea advanced, while Australia and China traded flat. Investors now await key U.S. economic data, including the ADP employment report, ISM manufacturing index, and global PMI readings, alongside comments from Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh on monetary policy.
Upcoming Events:
- 02:00 PM GMT – USD ISM Manufacturing PMI
The post Wednesday 1st July 2026: Markets Mixed as Yen Hits 40-Year Low, AI Rally Powers U.S. Stocks first appeared on IC Your Trading Edge | Official Blog.