Yen slides to new 40-year low while Dow futures ease after strongest first half in five years: Live updates

Traders work at the New York Stock Exchange on June 29, 2026. NYSE The Japanese yen weakened to a fresh 40-year low against the dollar on Wednesday, while Dow futures slipped on Tuesday night after the 30-stock index posted its best first half in five years. The yen fell to162.28 per dollar, data from LSEG showed, extending losses from the previous session as traders remained alert for possible intervention by Japanese authorities. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 83 points, or 0.2%. S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq 100 futures were trading around the flatline. During the day's regular session, all three major averages rose to close out a strong first half of 2026. The blue-chip Dow added 136.46 points, or 0.26%. The S&P 500 gained 0.79%, while the technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite jumped 1.52%. In the first six months of 2026, the Dow notched a rise of 8.9%, marking its best first-half performance since 2021. In the same time period, the broad market S&P 500 rose 9.6% and the Nasdaq climbed 12.8%. The small-cap Russell 2000 surged nearly 22% to clinch its best first-half performance since 1991. A surge in chip and AI-related names has been driving the stock market, with Tuesday's gains partly due to a rise in chip stocks. In fact, a record chip rally added $2 trillion in combined market capitalization to Micron , Intel and Advanced Micro Devices in the second quarter of 2026. Asia-Pacific markets opened mixed Wednesday. …