S&P futures are pointing to a flat open today ahead of the July CPI data. Asian markets finished Wednesday trading mix, and European equity markets continue to climb in early trades. In today's macro news, Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has announced that he will not run in the upcoming LDP presidential election, effectively stepping down as PM once a new leader is chosen. Kishida's withdrawal introduces market uncertainty, with no clear successor favored by markets. While most contenders support monetary policy normalization, the implications for fiscal policy and investor participation initiatives, such as the NISA program, remain uncertain. Analysts expect equities to be most affected, with yen direction influenced by external factors and JGBs by supply-demand conditions.

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