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U.S. stock futures are in the green on Thursday night, following a rally during the regular session, powered by the strong earnings performance of chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (NYSE: TSM). The S&P 500 Futures are up 0.15%, or 10.75 points, trading at 6,992.25, followed by Nasdaq Futures at 25,767.50, up 0.24%, or 63.25 points and finally Dow Futures, trading at 49,667.00, up 0.06% or 28 points. Silver prices witnessed a steep pullback on Thursday, after President Donald Trump opted to hold off on imposing tariffs on critical minerals, deciding to work with trading partners instead. The precious metal dropped nearly 7% during the day, before mounting a recovery and currently trades 2.42% below its all-time high of $93.50 per ounce earlier this week, at $91.23. Silver, tracked by the iShares Silver Trust (NYSE: SLV) is still up nearly 17% over the past five days. COMEX Silver March futures are down 1.21% on Thursday night, trading at $91.185 per ounce. Asian markets opened lower on Friday, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 down 0.42%, trading at 53,881.66, with ecommerce and logistics stocks leading the decline. TSMC’s strong fourth-quarter performance has led to a rally in other Asian chipmakers, with the Taiwan Weighted Index up 1.36% in early trade, at 31,229.18. The U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) is flat, up just 0.02%, trading at $99.170 after Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s dismissal on Thursday. Investors on Friday will be closely watching the earnings of PNC Financial Services Group Inc. (NYSE: PNC) and State Street Corp. (NYSE: STT), along with the speeches of Fed Presidents Susan Collins and Tom Barkin, followed by Vice Chair Philip Jefferson and Vice Chair for Bank Supervision Michelle Bowman.
Premium gym chains are entering a “golden era” that is ending or already in decline, as rising operating costs collide with shifting consumer preferences toward more flexible, community-based ways to exercise. Long-term memberships are shrinking, margins are pressured by higher rents and facility expenses, and competition from smaller, more personalized…
