U.S. stock futures were fluctuating on Wednesday following Tuesday’s advance. Futures of major benchmark indices were mixed.President Donald Trump hinted that he expects to lower fentanyl-linked tariffs on China, a potential major concession ahead of a high-stakes meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea this week. Investors await the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee decision to cut interest rates by 25 basis points on Wednesday afternoon. The CME Group's FedWatch tool’s projections sho ...

Market Overview - U.S. stock futures showed mixed performance following a previous advance, with Dow Jones down 0.25%, S&P 500 up 0.16%, Nasdaq 100 up 0.39%, and Russell 2000 down 0.18% [3] - The 10-year Treasury bond yielded 3.99% while the two-year bond was at 3.50% [3] Federal Reserve and Interest Rates - Investors are anticipating a 25 basis points cut in interest rates by the Federal Reserve, with a 99.9% likelihood projected by the CME Group's FedWatch tool [2] Company Earnings Reports - Microsoft Corp. is expected to report earnings of $2.97 per share on revenue of $10.61 billion [7] - Alphabet Inc. is projected to report earnings of $2.32 per share on revenue of $99.64 billion [6] - Meta Platforms Inc. is anticipated to report earnings of $8.11 per share on revenue of $57.21 billion [7] - Teradyne Inc. surged 20.91% after reporting better-than-expected third-quarter earnings [7] - Seagate Technology Holdings PLC shares climbed 7.17% after beating expectations in its first-quarter earnings report [7] Sector Performance - Consumer discretionary and information technology sectors gained on Tuesday, while real estate, utilities, and energy sectors recorded the largest losses [5] Analyst Insights - Analysts at BlackRock maintain a positive outlook on the economy and stock market, expecting Federal Reserve rate cuts to support risk assets [9] - BlackRock is overweight on U.S. equities, citing rate cuts and the impact of artificial intelligence on corporate earnings as key factors [10]

Market Overview - Japan's Nikkei share average ended lower, closing at 43,459.29, down 0.4% after reaching a peak of 44,185.73 earlier in the session [1] - The broader Topix index also finished down 0.5% [1] Economic Factors - The market initially gained on expectations of increased government spending following the resignation of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, with analysts predicting a more expansionary fiscal policy [2] - The yen strengthened by 0.5% to 146.82 against the U.S. dollar, negatively impacting earnings prospects for exporters [3] Trade Developments - U.S. tariffs on Japanese autos are expected to be lowered by September 16, clarifying a previously ambiguous trade deal [3] - However, the most-favoured-nation status for pharmaceuticals and semiconductors was not included in a recent executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump [4] Company Performance - Takeda Pharmaceutical, Japan's largest drugmaker, saw its shares decline by 3% [4] - Citizen Watch experienced a significant drop of 5.5% and will be removed from the Nikkei 225 index starting October [4] - Advantest, a chip-testing equipment maker and Nvidia supplier, was the biggest gainer, rising 6.5% to a new record high [5] - Other notable gainers included Screen Holdings, which increased by 2.4%, and Tokyo Electron, which added 2% [5]