Oil and gold prices each fell on Thursday as investors reduced their safe-haven holdings following signals that US President Donald Trump may back down from his threat of military action against Iran.
Global stock markets were supported by the technology sector, with TSMC posting a strong quarterly profit jump, while ASML hit a record high and helping major European indexes near all-time highs.
In currency markets, relatively steady movements dominated trading, although the Japanese yen remained weak after hitting a multi-month low, temporarily supported by signs of possible government intervention.
On Wall Street, US stock futures rose as investors assessed the ongoing shift from mega-cap stocks to small-cap and equal-weighted stocks, reflecting more balanced market fundamentals.
Meanwhile, Trump's statement that he has no plans to fire Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell also managed to calm some market concerns, although policy and geopolitical uncertainty remain key risk factors.
