S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures advanced Wednesday after a federal court ruling in an Alphabet antitrust case eased regulatory concerns for tech majors. In after-hours trading, Google-parent Alphabet jumped 7% as the judge ruled the company can keep its Chrome browser but must end exclusive search deals and share search data. Apple, which is also facing antitrust scrutiny, rose nearly 3% as it can continue preloading Google Search on the iPhone. On Tuesday, the Dow lost 0.55%, the S&P 500 shed 0.69% and the Nasdaq Composite slid 0.82% as trade policy, rate outlook, and economic signals weighed on sentiment. Higher Treasury yields added strain, with the 10-year hovering near 4.3% and the 30-year nearing 5%, both seen as headwinds for equities. Adding to caution, September has historically been a weak month for US stocks.

US Futures Rise as Alphabet Surges

South Korea’s economy grew 0.7% quarter-on-quarter in the three months to June 2025, 0.1 percentage point higher than the figure given in the advance estimate. That indicates a sharp reversal from a 0.2% contraction in the first quarter. Private consumption rose 0.5%, supported by higher spending on goods like motor vehicles and services such as health services. Government consumption increased 1.2% on the back of expanded health care benefits. However, construction investment declined 1.2%, with both building and civil engineering activity falling, while facilities investment also dropped 2.1% amid reduced purchases of machinery and transport equipment. Exports rose 4.5%, driven by semiconductors, petroleum products, and chemicals, while imports climbed 4.2%, mainly due to stronger demand for energy items like crude oil and natural gas.

South Korea Q2 GDP Growth Revised Higher

The Ai Group Industry Index for Australia’s manufacturing sector rose by 2.9 points to -20.9 in August, showing slight improvement but still deep in contraction. Manufacturing has remained flat in trend terms over the past year, as firms contend with rising costs, weak demand, project delays, and policy uncertainty despite some export gains. Results varied across subsectors: chemicals fell 3.2 points to -19.8, minerals and metals eased 0.7 points to -16.7, and machinery and equipment slumped 18.9 points to -30.7 amid supply chain pressures and softer demand. Food, beverages, and TCF improved by 13.7 points to -21.1, supported by seasonal orders ahead of Christmas, though energy costs and domestic uncertainty remained challenges. Overall, manufacturing showed early signs of recovery in August, but conditions stayed weak across much of the sector.

Australia’s Manufacturing Sector Still Weak: Ai Group

The Ai Group Australian Industry Index fell by 7.9 points to -13.9 in August, retreating from July’s peak. Activity declined across sales, employment, new orders, and input volumes, reversing the gains seen at the start of the financial year. The sales indicator slipped to -12.1, while the employment index dropped to -9.8, reflecting gradual softening in the labor market. Export demand remained strong for some firms, but domestic sales lagged, and new orders fell sharply to -17.8. Input volumes also contracted, down 20.3 points to -14.8, as cost-of-living pressures weighed on customer demand. Market sentiment remained weak amid rising uncertainty, import competition, and broader economic pressures. Despite this, sales prices rose while input costs and average wages eased, narrowing the gap between selling prices and costs.

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US Futures Rise as Alphabet Surges

South Korea Q2 GDP Growth Revised Higher

Australia’s Manufacturing Sector Still Weak: Ai Group

Australian Industry Activity Slumps: Ai Group