01 Stock Market
As of Sep 22, U.S. stock index futures performed as follows: Dow contracts gained about 0.32% as cyclical names found buyers, S&P 500 futures edged higher by 0.03% amid cautious positioning before key macro data, while Nasdaq 100 futures slipped 0.02%, reflecting a balanced tone between growth enthusiasm and profit-taking in semiconductors.
Notable Stock Movers: Alibaba (BABA) up 2.89% at $119.10 after unveiling sweeping AI initiatives. Apple (AAPL) up 0.24% at $339.80. Tesla (TSLA) up 0.68% at $377.85 on steady EV delivery expectations. Chip bellwethers softened: NVIDIA (NVDA) down 0.26% at $226.79 and Micron (MU) slipped 1.12% to $1,032.24. Smaller-cap tech outlier Grab (GRAB) jumped 6.53% to $3.10, extending its recent rebound.
Pre-bell trading shows investors rotating between mega-cap consumer technology strength and selective profit-taking in semis, while upbeat Chinese ADRs offer support; the mixed landscape underscores a wait-and-see stance ahead of afternoon economic releases and policy remarks.
02 Other Markets
• 10-year U.S. Treasury yield fell 0.65%, to 4.93%.
• U.S. Dollar Index eased 0.01% to 100.39.
• WTI crude oil futures fell 2.50% to 90.06 USD/barrel; COMEX gold futures fell 0.54% to 4,360.40 USD/ounce.
03 Key News
1. Circle deepened its alliance with Binance via a five-year pact and a $100 million private share sale. The agreement makes Binance a core distribution partner for USDC through Circle’s Modular Smart Contract Wallet, with incentive fees linked to stable-coin balances, while bolstering Circle’s capital for further expansion.
2. Alibaba mapped out an artificial-intelligence roadmap featuring a model of up to 10 trillion parameters and launched its Zhenwu V900 accelerator chip. Executives said the new hardware offers triple the performance of its predecessor, supporting next-generation Qwen models aimed at complex enterprise tasks.
3. Alibaba’s Wuying unit piloted “QwenBook,” an AI-native tablet that integrates cloud-edge computing and Qwen3.8 models. The device targets office users and signals the company’s ambition to embed proprietary generative AI directly into consumer hardware ecosystems.
4. Berkshire Hathaway revealed the purchase of approximately 2.7 million Class A and 75,021 Class B shares of Lennar. The construction-sector investment broadens Berkshire’s exposure to U.S. housing, reflecting confidence in resilient demand despite higher mortgage rates.
5. Iranian officials publicly refuted media claims of an imminent reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The rebuttal tempered earlier speculation that had pressured crude prices, highlighting ongoing uncertainty around a key global energy corridor.
6. Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Michele Bullock cautioned that persistent energy costs and robust domestic demand are elevating inflation risks. Her remarks increased market expectations that the central bank may lift policy rates at its forthcoming meeting to anchor price stability.
7. The U.S. administration scheduled a series of high-level meetings at the UN General Assembly to address conflicts in Iran and Ukraine. The packed agenda underscores intensified diplomatic efforts as geopolitical tensions and energy security dominate global policy discussions.
8. The U.S. Secretary of State stated there are no current plans for direct talks with Iranian counterparts during the UN gathering. The position signals continued caution in rapprochement efforts while emphasizing regional security concerns in the Persian Gulf.
9. Strategists expect artificial-intelligence governance to feature prominently in the forthcoming summit between U.S. and Chinese leaders. With both nations racing for technological supremacy, the meeting is poised to explore safeguards around advanced chips, data flows and critical mineral supply chains.
10. New Zealand’s Electricity Authority advised power distributors to factor consumer impact into tariff revisions as low fixed charges are phased out. The guidance seeks to ensure a smoother transition to cost-reflective pricing and avert sudden household bill increases, reflecting regulatory vigilance over essential utilities.
Sources: Reuters, Dow Jones, Tiger Newspress, public market data
Disclaimer: For informational purposes only; not investment advice.