Japan Election Poll Signals Landslide Win for Sanae Takaichi, Raising Fiscal Policy Concerns 
Philippines Manufacturing PMI Hits Nine-Month High Despite Weak Confidence Outlook 
EU Recovery Fund Faces Bottlenecks Despite Driving Digital and Green Projects 
Oil Prices Slide Nearly 3% as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Geopolitical Tensions 
Gold, Silver, and Platinum Rally as Precious Metals Recover from Sharp Selloff 
S&P 500 Rises as AI Stocks and Small Caps Rally on Strong Earnings Outlook 
Oil Prices Steady as Markets Weigh U.S.-Iran Talks, Dollar Strength Caps Gains 
India Budget 2026: Modi Government Eyes Reforms Amid Global Uncertainty and Fiscal Pressures 
U.S. Stock Futures Rise as Investors Eye Big Tech Earnings and AI Momentum 
South Korea Inflation Hits Five-Month Low as CPI Reaches Central Bank Target 
UK Employers Plan Moderate Pay Rises as Inflation Pressures Ease but Persist 
Gold and Asian Stocks Rebound as Market Volatility Eases and Global Sentiment Improves 
Dollar Holds Firm as Strong U.S. Data, Fed Expectations and Global Central Bank Moves Shape Markets 
Indian Rupee Strengthens Sharply After U.S.-India Trade Deal Announcement 
Asian markets traded mixed on Thursday as investor caution persisted amid ongoing uncertainty over U.S. trade tariffs and interest rate outlooks. Chipmaking stocks led losses, with attention centered on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), which is set to report second-quarter earnings later today.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipped 0.3%, while the TOPIX index was flat. Trade data showed continued weakness in exports due to U.S. tariffs on steel and automobiles. South Korea’s KOSPI dropped 0.4%, weighed down by a sharp 8% plunge in SK Hynix after a downgrade from Goldman Sachs. Samsung Electronics bucked the trend, rising 1.7%. Japan’s Tokyo Electron and Advantest both lost around 2%, while China’s SMIC edged slightly higher.
TSMC fell 0.9% in Taiwan trade ahead of its earnings release. Investors are focused on guidance updates amid U.S. tariff risks and currency volatility, despite expectations of strong AI-driven performance.
ASML’s cautious 2026 outlook pressured the broader chip sector, with the Dutch firm citing delayed investment decisions due to trade tensions, even as AI demand boosted Q2 bookings.
In Australia, the ASX 200 surged 0.7%, nearing record highs. Weaker-than-expected June jobs data fueled expectations of further rate cuts by the Reserve Bank of Australia, boosting tech and cyclical shares. Macquarie analysts expressed a bullish outlook on Australian equities, citing global easing trends.
China’s Shanghai Composite and CSI 300 saw modest gains, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng remained steady after recent tech-fueled rallies. Singapore’s Straits Times Index rose 0.3% on strong June export data. Indian Nifty 50 futures were flat. U.S. S&P 500 futures edged down 0.2% in Asian trading after mixed signals from Wall Street, where bank earnings failed to offset economic concerns. Netflix is scheduled to report results later today.
