Dow Hits New High, S&P 500 Retreats as Traders Await Hormuz Deal

• Markets are awaiting key U.S. economic data today, including Durable Goods Orders at 13:30 BST and Crude Oil Inventories at 15:30 BST, followed by Nvidia's second-quarter earnings after the market close. • CME FedWatch indicates the probability of a September rate increase has dropped to over 40%, down from 55% last month, driven by softer economic indicators and lower oil prices.

• Indian equity markets closed sharply lower on Wednesday, with the Sensex dropping 183 points and the Nifty declining by 0.52%. • Gains in the banking and metals sectors were offset by a downturn in IT stocks, which weakened due to emerging visa concerns.

• Investors are facing mixed signals as private market managers' stock prices have performed poorly in 2026 despite solid returns from the underlying assets and funds. • Morningstar’s listed private equity index has shown some recovery after early-year losses, while firms like Blackstone continue to report solid earnings.

• Axis Bank's stock is currently being tracked via a real-time liveblog by The Economic Times to provide investors with immediate market analysis. • Key financial metrics reported include a last traded price of 1255.0, a market capitalization of 390,402.66, and a trading volume of 3,298,266.

• Brent crude oil prices have declined for three consecutive days, dropping to approximately $86.7 per barrel, the lowest level seen in two weeks. • The downward trend began on Monday following details released by USTS Bessent regarding "Operation Economic Outcast."

• Thailand and Taiwan led Asian earnings upgrades in August, with BofA reporting a global revision ratio surge to 1.35 across all regions. • On a rolling three-month basis, Taiwan recorded the highest regional ratio at 2.02, followed closely by Thailand at 1.93.

• Forward-looking economic indicators surged in June 2026, despite moderate current activity and ongoing labor-market weaknesses. • The U.S. administration has implemented sanctions against over 70 Iran-related entities as part of an "economic D-Day" strategy.

• Thailand’s central bank maintained its policy interest rate at 1.00% on Wednesday, a move widely anticipated by economists. • The decision comes as strong investment and technology-related exports provide economic support, offsetting weak household spending and limited lending to small businesses.

• Silver is trading at $68.77, reflecting a modest daily increase of 0.17% amid a period of price stagnation. • The current price is supported by strong industrial demand and recent U.S. Treasury buyback expansions, though it remains below its long-term moving average.

• Capital market leaders and financial executives gathered at the 20th anniversary of the Thailand Focus conference to discuss strategies for reigniting foreign investor confidence. • Experts including Asadej Kongsiri of the Stock Exchange of Thailand and representatives from UBS, CLSA, and DBS highlighted that attractive valuations and emerging growth engines place the country in a "sweet spot" for investment.

• The Bank of Thailand has unanimously decided to maintain its policy interest rate at 1% to continue supporting the country's economic recovery. • While overall credit has increased due to lending to large corporations for investment and working capital, loans to SMEs continue to contract as banks remain cautious.

• Wall Street indexes remained subdued on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 ending flat as tech gains were offset by losses in Meta, Nvidia, and various software stocks. • Market volatility was driven by hotter-than-expected July inflation data, which has increased investor bets that the Federal Reserve may implement a rate hike in September.