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US stock futures trod water on Wednesday as Wall Street largely shrugged off tariff risks even as President Trump doubled duties on steel and aluminum imports.
Dow Jones Industrial Average futures (YM=F) edged up 0.1%, while those on the S&P 500 (ES=F) added roughly 0.2%. Contracts on the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 (NQ=F) hovered above the flat line.
CME – Delayed Quote USD
As of 7:12:48 AM EDT. Market Open.
ES=F NQ=F YM=F
First thing on Wednesday morning, an order that Trump signed on Tuesday evening came into effect, hiking tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from 25% to 50%. The UK is the only trading partner exempt from the increase. The president’s latest tariff move comes amid escalating tensions between the US and key trading partners China and the EU.
Read more: The latest on Trump’s tariffs
But hopes for a US-China trade pact dimmed after Trump called President Xi “extremely hard to make a deal with” in a post to social media. The Geneva tariff truce between the two has appeared increasingly fragile amid clashes over issues such as chip exports, rare earth supplies, Taiwan and visas.
US stocks booked a second win in a row on Tuesday after an unexpectedly upbeat JOLTS job openings report lifted investor optimism that the economy can weather the impact of Trump’s trade policy.
Wall Street will get another pulse check on the labor market with the release of ADP employment data on Wednesday. The main event lands on Friday with the closely watched May jobs report.
LIVE 7 updates
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Good morning. Here’s what’s happening today.
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Bull and bear cases don’t see tariffs changing the Apple stock story
When it comes to Apple stock both the bull and the bear cases are unfazed by tariffs, despite the fact these levies and presidential threats could deflate the company, bull and bear arguments tend to focus on the tech company’s well established products and competitor advantage.
Despite the political landscape changing for Apple CEO Tim Cook, for Wall Street the story remains the same.
The bull case is focused on strong earnings, a legacy built on underpromising and overdelivering. Delivering stable results and always managing expectations. But this may be hard to see now.
My colleague, Yahoo Finance’s senior reporter Hamza Shaban looks at why Apple bull and bear cases don’t see tariffs changing the story.
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China weighs massive Airbus deal, seen as message to Trump
Jets are taking center stage as countries vie for President Trump’s attention — and China could be the latest, with a potential Airbus (AIR.PA, EADSY) deal.
Chinese airlines are considering placing an order for as many as 500 Airbus planes to coincide with a visit by European leaders to Beijing in July, sources told Bloomberg.
Deals for US rival Boeing’s (BA) planes have emerged as the US’s favored bargaining chip in trade discussions. The spotlight fell on the gambit after Trump’s acceptance of a $400 million luxury Boeing jet from the Qatari royal family in May, for use in the Air Force One fleet.
Though China’s Airbus negotiations are said to be fluid and could fall through, the European jet maker’s stock rose as much as 4% in Paris. Meanwhile, shares of Boeing hovered below the flat line.
Bloomberg reports:
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Michael Saylor’s bitcoin imitators are multiplying fast
Dozens of publicly traded companies, a media firm controlled by President Trump’s family, and meme stock poster child GameStop (GME) are all piling into a bet that Michael Saylor used to turn a business intelligence software firm into a bitcoin juggernaut called Strategy (MSTR).
Yahoo Finance’s David Hollerith and Laura Bratton report:
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Trending tickers: CrowdStrike, HPE, Robinhood and Wells Fargo
Here are some top stocks trending on Yahoo Finance in premarket trading:
CrowdStrike (CRWD) stock fell over 6% before the bell on Wednesday after the technology company forecast Q2 earnings below estimates, indicating weaker government spending on cybersecurity products.
HPE (HPE) beat Wall Street estimates for second-quarter revenue and profit on Tuesday, due to strong demand for its artificial-intelligence servers and hybrid products. The groups stock price was up 5% before the bell on Wednesday.
Robinhood (HOOD) stock rose over 1% in premarket trading on Wednesday. Nearly four years after its much-hyped debut, Robinhood Markets Inc. has finally seen its shares hit a fresh record as cryptocurrency markets rally. Robinhood’s stock rose over 5% on Tuesday and closed at $71.72, beating its previous high of $70.39, which was set days after the online brokerage’s IPO.
Wells Fargo (WFC) shares were up 3% before the bell today after the Federal Reserve a major restriction on the investment bank, meaning it will no longer have to operate under a $1.95T asset cap.
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Action in Hong Kong equity markets stirs most excitement in years
Despite global unrest, trade war threats and persistently sluggish demand in China, investors are clamoring for a piece of the stock action in Hong Kong as valuations are still attractive.
Bloomberg reports:
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Toyota Industries offer to pivot to private tanks share value
Stock in Toyota Industries (6201.T) sank over 12% late Tuesday after an attempt to take the company private failed to meet investor expectations. A ¥4.7 trillion ($33 billion) deal offered ¥16,300 yen per share, well below Tuesday’s close of ¥18,400.
Parent company Toyota Motor Corporation (TM) has been trying to take the forklifts, engines, and auto parts manufacturer Toyota Industries off the stock market under pressure from government regulators and investors to pull apart entwined company structures.
Toyota’s tender offer drew criticism as it “undermines” minority shareholders. According to Reuters, the offer values the buyout at $26 billion, with the remaining financing structured through loans and preferred share investments.
If the deal goes through a new company will be established. Toyota Motor will invest around ¥700 billion in non-voting shares, while its real estate arm, Toyota Fudosan, will contribute ¥180 billion. Chairman Akio Toyoda plans a ¥1 billion personal investment.
