Australian Shares Fall as Westpac Slides, Miners Gain Ahead of RBA Decision 
UK Retail Sales Rise as World Cup and Heatwave Boost Food, Pubs and Clothing 
Japan Posts First Current Account Deficit in 17 Months as Dividend Payments Surge 
South Korean Won Leads Asian FX Losses as Dollar Rises 
Oil Prices Rise as Hormuz Reopening Remains Uncertain 
Asian Stocks Rise as Weak US Jobs Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Fears 
Wall Street Slips as Oil Prices Surge 5% on Iran-Hormuz Uncertainty 
Oil Prices Rise as US-Iran Talks Stall, Inflation Risks Grow 
European Stocks Flat as Oil Prices Rise, US CPI in Focus 
China Inflation Cools in July as CPI Misses Forecast, PPI Deflation Eases 
Asian Stocks Rise as Weak US Jobs Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Bets 
Goldman Sachs Sees US Stock Buybacks Outpacing Equity Issuance as AI Funding Rises 
S&P 500, Nasdaq Futures Rise as Iran Risks and CPI Loom 
Singapore Raises 2026 GDP Growth Forecast as AI Demand Fuels Economy 
Gold Prices Hold Near Seven-Week High as Markets Await U.S. Inflation Data 
Asian Currencies Steady as Markets Await U.S. Inflation Data 
Asian stocks traded mixed on Tuesday as gains in South Korea and Singapore offset weakness across several regional markets. Investors assessed the Reserve Bank of Australia’s latest interest rate decision while monitoring inflation risks, oil prices and geopolitical uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz.
The MSCI AC Asia Pacific index edged 0.2% higher after fluctuating between gains and losses. U.S. stock futures also advanced, with Nasdaq 100 futures gaining 0.3% and S&P 500 futures rising 0.1%.
Market sentiment remained cautious after U.S. President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s demands for compensation as part of a potential peace agreement. The development reduced expectations for a rapid deal that could fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for global energy shipments, keeping oil and inflation concerns in focus.
Investors are also awaiting Wednesday’s U.S. CPI inflation report. Headline inflation is forecast to increase 0.1% in July after declining 0.4% in June. A hotter-than-expected reading could strengthen expectations that the Federal Reserve will maintain higher interest rates for longer.
South Korea’s KOSPI climbed about 0.8%, supported by a strong technology rally. Samsung Electronics jumped around 6% as semiconductor shares strengthened. TSMC also gained after reporting a 45% year-over-year increase in July sales, reinforcing optimism over artificial intelligence chip demand.
AI sentiment received another boost after Nvidia announced a partnership with six major financial institutions to develop compute-financing platforms designed to attract more than $500 billion in third-party capital for AI infrastructure.
Chinese stocks were weaker, with the CSI 300 declining while the Shanghai Composite remained broadly flat. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell about 0.7%, while Indonesia’s Jakarta Composite dropped nearly 1%.
Australian shares gained after the RBA unanimously kept its cash rate unchanged at 4.35%, citing persistently high inflation alongside slowing economic activity. The Australian dollar was relatively steady following the announcement.
Singapore’s Straits Times Index advanced to a record high, helped by strength in OCBC after better-than-expected results. Meanwhile, India’s Nifty 50 declined around 0.6% as the broader Asian stock market remained uneven.
