Nasdaq 100 futures extended gains to 0.5%.

Bank of Korea: GDP growth is expected to be 2.5% in 2024 (2.1% in February), and 2.1% in 2025 (2.3% in February). CPI is expected to be 2.6% in 2024 (same as in February), and 2.1% in 2025 (same as in February).

Market news: U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai discussed the USMCA and labor issues with Mexican official Buenrostro.

Singapore Monetary Authority official: The current policy stance remains appropriate. It is necessary to maintain the current exchange rate policy range to curb imported inflation and domestic cost pressures.

Singapore Ministry of Trade: Emerging markets may lead to greater volatility due to the disconnection of monetary policy cycles from developed economies. The global economy still faces downside risks, and escalating geopolitical tensions may disrupt global supply chains and commodity markets.

New Zealand Reserve Bank Chairman Orr: We can start to relax (policy restrictions) before inflation reaches 2%.

New Zealand Reserve Bank Chairman Orr: No single data will determine the direction of policy.

New Zealand Reserve Bank Chairman Orr: Our patience with inflation has not yet run out.

Japan bought 528.6 billion yen of foreign stocks in the week ending May 17, compared with -387.3 billion yen in the previous week.

Foreign investors bought 248.1 billion yen of Japanese stocks in the week ending May 17, compared with 660.8 billion yen in the previous week.

Japan bought 219.22 billion yen of foreign bonds in the week ending May 17, compared with -39.66 billion yen in the previous period.

New Zealand Reserve Bank Chairman Orr: We do not want to take the risk of causing inflation expectations to get out of control.

US Central Command: Successfully destroyed four drones in the Houthi-controlled area of Yemen.

Market news: US President Biden will meet with the President of Kenya at 11 a.m. Eastern Time today and will hold a press conference at 12:30 p.m.

Reuters poll: 37% of Japanese companies want the Bank of Japan to raise interest rates to counter the weakening yen.

U.S. Department of Defense: Defense Secretary Austin advocated for the establishment of an effective mechanism to eliminate conflicts between humanitarian and military operations in the Gaza Strip in a phone call with Israeli Defense Minister Galant.

Nasdaq futures were expected to open 0.4% higher, helped by after-hours gains in chip stocks such as Nvidia Corp (NVDA.O).

Nvidia (NVDA.O): If we see opportunities in the PC CPU field, we will explore them.