S&P Futures Climb on Fed Rate-Cut Optimism, More Big Bank Earnings on Tap

Trade Relations and Economic Outlook - U.S. President Trump indicated that Washington is considering ending certain trade relations with China, including the purchase of cooking oil, while U.S. Trade Representative Greer suggested that tensions over export controls may ease following talks between officials from both nations [1][10] - The International Monetary Fund stated that China needs to shift its economic growth model toward domestic demand, which has been subdued amid the property downturn [10] Interest Rate Expectations - U.S. rate futures reflect a 95.7% chance of a 25 basis point rate cut at the upcoming October FOMC meeting [1] - Boston Fed President Collins advocated for continued interest rate cuts to support the labor market, suggesting that monetary policy would remain mildly restrictive [2] - Fed Chair Powell noted worsening labor market conditions, reinforcing expectations for another interest rate cut this month [3] Corporate Earnings and Market Performance - The third-quarter corporate earnings season is underway, with S&P 500 companies expected to report an average earnings increase of 7.2% compared to the previous year, marking the smallest rise in two years [5] - Major U.S. banks, including Bank of America and Morgan Stanley, are set to report earnings, with Bank of America already showing stronger-than-expected results [15] - Wall Street's major indexes closed mixed, with notable declines in stocks like Nvidia and Amazon, while Wells Fargo saw a significant gain after posting upbeat Q3 results [3][4] Global Market Developments - The Euro Stoxx 50 Index rose by 1.49% due to strong earnings and positive political developments in France, with luxury stocks like LVMH surging over 13% after reporting an unexpected increase in Q3 sales [9] - Asian stock markets closed higher, with China's Shanghai Composite Index up 1.22%, driven by expectations for additional policy support amid persistent deflationary pressures [11]