Nasdaq Futures inch up; Dollar extends gains as Trump revives tariff threats

Nasdaq Futures inch up; Dollar extends gains as Trump revives tariff threats

US stock futures were mixed early Thursday as traders digested another round of corporate earnings while weighing the latest escalation in tariff rhetoric from President Donald Trump.

Nasdaq-100 futures edged up modestly, boosted by premarket gains in Nvidia and TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, which reported record quarterly profit despite ongoing trade uncertainty. Dow and S&P 500 futures were little changed, with blue-chip names like GE Aerospace and PepsiCo in the spotlight.

Currency markets reflected rising geopolitical caution. The dollar extended its rebound, strengthening against the yen, pound, and euro, after Trump ruled out removing Fed Chair Jerome Powell — “unless he has to leave for fraud” — but reiterated criticism of the central bank’s spending and leadership. Treasury yields inched higher, with the 10-year hovering near 4.45 percent.

Trump also unveiled a sweeping new tariff plan, suggesting the US could unilaterally impose 10 to 15 percent duties on more than 150 countries. His remarks sent ADM and Ingredion shares lower in off-hours trading after he claimed Coca-Cola would shift to cane sugar in its US drinks, abandoning high-fructose corn syrup.

Cryptocurrency markets were steady, with Bitcoin trading near $119,000 as lawmakers continued deliberations on key regulatory bills.

Volatility tied to trade tensions has lifted trading revenues for major US banks, with Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and Bank of America all highlighting this in recent results. Still, markets appear to be holding a wait-and-watch stance ahead of earnings from Netflix and more clarity on Trump’s tariff playbook.

Asia-Pacific equities largely closed higher on Thursday, with Japan and Australia leading regional gains amid a stable global backdrop and strong corporate earnings signals.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 climbed 0.6 percent to finish at 39,901.19, while the broader Topix index advanced 0.72 percent to 2,839.81. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 outperformed with a 0.9 percent gain, closing at 8,639.

Mainland Chinese equities also edged up, with the CSI 300 rising 0.68 percent to 4,034.49, though Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index ended flat at 24,498.95.

South Korea’s Kospi added 0.19 percent to 3,192.29, while the tech-heavy Kosdaq rose 0.74 percent to 818.27.

Indian markets underperformed the region, with the Nifty 50 down 0.12 percent and the Sensex lower by 0.25 percent as of 1:55 p.m. IST, amid cautious trading ahead of earnings and policy cues.