Asian shares climb, oil holds gains as markets eye Iran talks, central bank moves By Reuters

• Dow futures rose on June 25, 2026, driven by an AI-focused rally sparked by Micron. • S&P Dow Jones Indices announced that Alphabet (GOOG) will replace Verizon (VZ) in the Dow Jones Industrial Average before the market opens on June 29.

• The S&P 500 rose approximately 0.6% on Wednesday as US stocks recovered from a recent technology-sector sell-off. • Market gains were driven by a decline in oil prices and falling Treasury yields, which reduced overall economic pressure on investors.

• The S&P 500 has already risen 9% in 2026, with Wall Street analysts predicting further growth for U.S. stocks in the second half of the year. • Consensus estimates project a full-year revenue increase of 11%, marking the fastest growth since 2022, and an earnings surge of 23%, the fastest since 2021.

• Casey’s has announced a strategic three-year expansion plan to add 400 new stores to its network. • The growth strategy focuses on increasing store counts through a combination of new-store development and targeted acquisitions.

• The financial services industry has experienced a 3.7% decline over the past six months, underperforming the S&P 500, which rose by 6.3% during the same period. • This downturn is attributed to growing investor concerns regarding economic uncertainty and potential market volatility affecting lending and investment management.

• The death of former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan has reignited critical debates regarding interest rates, deregulation, and overall financial stability. • This shift in focus is prompting investors to re-evaluate the Federal Reserve's role in credit growth, labor power, and risk-taking within the financial sector.

• The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index, the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, rose at an annual rate of 4.1% in May. • This figure represents the fastest pace of price increases seen in three years and aligned with economists' forecasts provided by FactSet.

• The Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) report, reached a three-year high in May. • This surge in prices indicates that inflation remains persistent, complicating the central bank's efforts to stabilize the economy.

• The Nasdaq and S&P 500 declined on June 24, 2026, following a volatile trading session characterized by a downturn in technology stocks. • Investors are closely monitoring the upcoming after-hours earnings report from memory-chip manufacturer Micron to gauge the current state of AI demand.

• Major stock indexes ended mixed on Thursday as Micron Technology's strong quarterly earnings sparked a rally in memory chips, offsetting losses in other mega-cap tech stocks like Apple. • The Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index, the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, rose 4.1% year-over-year in May.

• NPR released a retrospective analysis on June 22, 2026, examining the legacy of former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan. • The report contrasts Greenspan's initial reputation as one of history's greatest central bankers with the later criticism that his policies contributed to the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.

• Alphabet is set to join the Dow Jones Industrial Average, replacing Verizon, which increases the tech giant's index visibility despite the Dow attracting less passive investment than the S&P 500. • FedEx shares declined following its latest earnings report, while tech stocks are rebounding as U.S. markets attempt to stabilize after recent losses.