Tonight’s Highlights | U.S. Stock Futures Climb, Tesla Up Nearly 2% Pre-Market

On Friday, U.S. stock index futures ticked higher, while major European indexes mostly rallied.

Before the opening bell, the big three U.S. futures shook off early jitters and turned green. As of now, Tesla’s up nearly 2% in premarket trading. The buzz? Tesla’s set to launch a smallscale Robotaxi test in Austin, Texas, on June 22, starting with just about 10 cars.

Middle East tensions have eased a bit. Late Thursday, the White House said President Trump will decide in the “next two weeks” whether to order U.S. military strikes on Iran, calming fears of imminent action. Meanwhile, European foreign ministers are meeting Iranian officials in Geneva today, aiming to cool things down and push for concessions on Iran’s nuclear program.

Fed Governor Christopher Waller said Friday that a rate cut could come as soon as July, giving markets a mood lift before the open.

Wedbush analyst Dan Ives dropped a note Friday, saying the selfdriving car boom could propel Tesla’s market cap to $2 trillion by the end of 2026.

Global Macro

Trump Delays Iran Decision, Heads for Golf Weekend. Per CBS, Trump’s off to his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club tomorrow. The White House schedule shows he’ll get a National Security Council briefing at 11 PM Friday (Beijing time), another on Saturday back at the White House, and one more Sunday. Despite his tough talk on Iran, Trump’s been griping about missing golf for “three or four weeks,” saying it’s messed up his plan to win “35 championships” at his club.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry: Diplomacy on Table if Israel Halts Attacks. CCTV reports that on June 20, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said diplomacy could resolve the conflict if Israel stops its aggression. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran won’t talk while Israel keeps striking.
Japan: U.S.Japan Tariff Talks Uncertain, July 9 Not a Hard Deadline. Japan’s Economic Revitalization Minister Ryosei Akazawa told a press conference that Japan isn’t hung up on the July 9 “deadline” for U.S.Japan trade talks. He called it an important date but not the final cutoff.

Company News

Shipping Giant Maersk Pauses Stops at Israel’s Haifa Port. On June 20, Denmark’s Maersk Group said it’s halting ship stops at Israel’s Haifa port due to the IsraelIran conflict.
Circle Jumps Nearly 14% PreMarket, Up Over 540% Since IPO. The U.S. Senate’s passage of the GENIUS Act has markets fired up. Stablecoin leader $Circle (CRCL.US)$ surged nearly 14% premarket, with gains of over 540% since going public. $CRCL
SpaceX on Starship Explosion: Likely COPV Issue. On June 19, SpaceX said the Starship explosion was likely caused by a potential fault in the COPV (Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessel). A safety zone was set up, with no injuries. Tests confirmed no chemical, biological, or toxic risks to the Rio Grande Valley community.
Tesla’s Robotaxi Launch Looms, Up Nearly 2% PreMarket. On Tuesday night, $Tesla (TSLA.US)$ CEO Elon Musk announced the Robotaxi service’s public trial will kick off on June 22. Investors and fans have been hyped about this for ages. $TSLA
Meta’s $14.3B Scale AI Bet Followed by SSI Talent Raid. Insiders say after $Meta Platforms (META.US)$ CEO Mark Zuckerberg shelled out $14.3 billion to invest in AI startup Scale AI and poached its founder Alexandar Wang, the AI talent war’s heating up. Meta’s now eyeing Safe Superintelligence’s CEO Daniel Gross and exGitHub CEO Nat Friedman. $META
Quantum Stock Arqit Quantum Soars Over 17% After Oracle Defense Nod. On June 17, quantum encryption leader $Arqit Quantum (ARQQ.US)$ said it’s been picked as a founding member of Oracle’s new Defense Ecosystem, recognized for protecting critical infrastructure from advanced cyber threats, including quantum computing risks. Shares spiked over 17% premarket.$QMCO