Australia Consumer Sentiment Rises in July as Fuel Price Relief Lifts Confidence 
Asian Stocks Rally as Cooling U.S. Inflation Boosts Fed Rate Cut Hopes 
UBS Boosts China Tech Bets, Adds Kuaishou and Meituan to Focus List 
Dollar Eases as Middle East Conflict, Fed Outlook and Japan Pension Policy Drive FX Markets 
Australian Business Conditions Hold Steady as Easing Cost Pressures Face New Oil Price Risks 
South Korea Raises Interest Rates to 2.75% as Inflation and Weak Won Drive Tightening 
Gold Price Holds Near Record High as Cooling U.S. Inflation Offsets Fed Caution 
European Stocks Slip as Middle East Tensions and Hormuz Threat Rattle Markets 
Asian Stocks Rise as Softer U.S. Inflation Boosts Sentiment Despite Middle East Tensions 
Singapore GDP Grows 5.7% in Q2 2026 as AI-Driven Manufacturing Boosts Economy 
US Inflation Expected to Ease in June, but Fed Rate Hike Risks Persist Amid Middle East Tensions 
South Korea’s KOSPI Enters Bear Market Despite Remaining 2026’s Best-Performing Major Stock Index 
Gold Price Holds Near $4,000 as Middle East Tensions and Fed Rate Hike Bets Grow 
Dollar Holds Steady Ahead of U.S. CPI as Oil Surge, Middle East Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 
Oil Prices Surge as U.S.-Iran Conflict Escalates and Strait of Hormuz Risks Grow 
Asian Currencies Stay Rangebound as Middle East Tensions, Weak China GDP Weigh on Sentiment 
ASX Ltd shares fell sharply after the Australian Securities Exchange warned that fiscal 2026 costs will rise far more than previously expected, overshadowing a modest increase in first-half profit. The exchange operator now forecasts total expenses to climb between 20% and 23% this financial year, up from earlier guidance of 14% to 19%, as it absorbs mounting costs linked to system outages, regulatory scrutiny, and an ongoing ASIC investigation.
The update triggered a sell-off, with ASX shares dropping as much as 2.6% to A$53.92, extending the prior session’s 6.2% decline. The stock underperformed the broader benchmark index, which gained 0.5%, reflecting investor concerns over rising operational risk and governance challenges.
For the six months ended December 31, ASX reported underlying net profit after tax of A$263.6 million, up from A$253.7 million a year earlier. Stronger trading volumes supported earnings growth, but escalating expenses weighed heavily on overall performance. Total costs surged 20% to A$264.3 million, driven by regulatory probe expenses, business transformation initiatives, ageing technology infrastructure, and intangible asset write-offs.
Leadership uncertainty has added to pressure on the exchange, with CEO Helen Lofthouse planning her departure. The transition comes as ASX faces intensified regulatory attention following a CHESS batch settlement failure in late 2024. The company has since released an incident review and pledged a A$1 million credit disbursement to affected settlement participants through fee rebates.
Further operational setbacks, including an August 2025 name mix-up and a December outage on its announcements platform, have drawn additional scrutiny. Meanwhile, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission is conducting a sweeping review of ASX’s governance and operational risk management framework, with a final report expected by March 31, 2026. ASIC inquiry costs are projected to reach the top end of the A$25 million to A$35 million range.
Despite cost pressures, ASX declared a fully franked interim dividend of 101.8 Australian cents per share, down 8.5% year-on-year, reflecting a 75% payout ratio at the lower end of its revised guidance.
