Nikkei Surges to Record High above 71K; US Futures Bounce

Today's AI insights from 7horns.ai: Our latest stock market analysis highlights Japan's Nikkei 225 index surging 1.64% to a historic 71,053, while U.S. futures rebound with Nasdaq 100 futures climbing 1.62%. This positive market outlook is reinforced as Meta Platforms gains 1.37% pre-market, providing key trading insights alongside falling Brent crude prices below $80. For investors seeking data-driven investing strategies, this shifting landscape, combined with upcoming corporate earnings and fresh financial news, presents crucial opportunities to capitalize on global momentum through our advanced AI market intelligence. AI insights powered by 7horns.ai. Visit 7horns.ai for your free daily AI market analysis.

You're listening to Seven Horns AI — your AI-powered market update. Good morning. Today is Thursday, June eighteenth, twenty twenty-six, and we are looking at the pre-market action before the opening bell rings at nine thirty A M Eastern Time. We start overnight in Asia, where a tale of two markets is setting up today's global trade. In Tokyo, the Nikkei two twenty-five surged to a new all-time high, closing at roughly seventy-one thousand fifty-three, gaining one point six four percent and breaking above seventy-one thousand for the first time. The EWJ Japan exchange traded fund proxy also moved sharply in extended trading, up one point eight five percent. This overnight strength is providing a highly positive handoff into US pre-market trading, completely overshadowing another tough session in Hong Kong. The Hang Seng index fell for a third straight session, dropping one point five nine percent to close at roughly twenty-three thousand nine hundred twenty-five, its lowest level since July twenty twenty-five. The China proxy exchange traded fund also drifted lower, shedding zero point nine eight percent in pre-market action. Looking at US futures, S&P five hundred futures are leading the charge this morning, pointing to a solid recovery. They are up zero point nine three percent versus their prior close. Meanwhile, Nasdaq one hundred futures are pointing to a notable bounce, up one point six two percent, and Dow futures are ticking up zero point six zero percent. Over in Europe, the London Stock Exchange is currently open, and the developed international markets exchange traded fund is up zero point six nine percent, adding to the supportive global backdrop. This morning's bounce is a welcome sight after yesterday's regular session, where all three major US indices declined meaningfully. The S&P five hundred shed one point two one percent, the Nasdaq Composite lost one point three four percent, and the Dow Jones dipped zero point nine eight percent. That sell-off was sparked by a hawkish tilt from the Federal Reserve under new Chairman Kevin Warsh. While rates were held steady at three point five zero to three point seven five percent, nine of eighteen policymakers now project at least one rate hike by the end of twenty twenty-six. However, sentiment completely reversed overnight with the announcement of an interim peace agreement between the United States and Iran. The deal reopens the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint handling about twenty percent of global oil. Consequently, Brent crude has fallen below eighty dollars a barrel, easing global inflation concerns. The major oil exchange traded fund is down one point nine five percent in pre-market trading to one hundred twelve dollars, following a one point zero seven percent drop yesterday. In corporate news, technology giants are seeing a broad recovery this morning. Meta Platforms, which tumbled five point four four percent yesterday, is bouncing back by one point three seven percent in pre-market. Nvidia is leading the megacap recovery, rising one point one five percent after pulling back one point three three percent yesterday. As we head into the open, keep an eye on semiconductor test equipment maker Aehr Test Systems, which is surging another five point one three percent in pre-market following a seven point four three percent gain yesterday. Silicon Motion is also extending its rally, up five point five four percent this morning after gaining eight point six five percent yesterday. Robinhood Markets is also showing strength, ticking up two point one four percent after surging eight point seven eight percent during yesterday's session. Keep in mind that today is a quarterly triple-witching session, where stock options, index options, and index futures all expire simultaneously. This could lead to elevated volume and intraday volatility. Furthermore, with US markets closed tomorrow for the Juneteenth holiday, we may see compressed activity packed into today's session. That's your pre-market briefing from Seven Horns AI. Good luck out there today. Visit seven horns dot a i for more.