U.S. stock index futures slipped on Thursday as signs of rising tensions in the Middle East weighed on risk sentiment and investors sought more clarity on Washington's recent trade deals with China.

The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC), a benchmark for the broader U.S. stock market, has had one of the most volatile years on record. The index lost more than $6 trillion during the two-day trading period after President Donald Trump announced his "Liberation Day" tariffs as the CBOE Volatility Index (VOLATILITYINDICES: ^VIX) notched its third-largest weekly spike in history.

Inflation dodged the tariff bullet again. The May Consumer Price Index rose +0.1% M/, less than the +0.2% consensus and the 0.2% increase in April.

Global shares are mixed as investors focus on the result of the ongoing trade talks between Washington and Beijing

Apple revealed iOS 26 featuring Liquid Glass at WWDC 2025, but the lack of a killer AI feature left analysts questioning its competitive edge.

The back and forth between famed short-seller Jim Chanos and Bitcoin billionaire Michael Saylor is becoming a Wall Street battle for the ages. The two investors have quarreled against one another in separate Bloomberg interviews this week,

Asian shares are mostly higher as investors keep an eye on China-U.S. trade talks that might help stave off a recession.

Though stock splits come in two varieties -- forward and reverse -- investors gravitate to one far more than the other. Three high-profile companies have announced stock splits in 2025, with Fastenal being the first to conduct a forward split.