RBA Set for September Rate Hike as Inflation Stays High 
South Korea Exports Set for 16th Monthly Gain on AI Chip Demand 
Hong Kong Home Prices Stabilize in August After July Decline 
XRP Price Targets $1.70 as Bullish Momentum Builds 
Asian Currencies Weaken as Dollar, Oil Prices Rise 
BlackRock’s Rick Rieder Favors Bonds Over Stocks as Treasury Yields Surge 
Asian Chip Stocks Tumble as OpenAI Safety Pause Sparks AI Growth Concerns 
Oil Prices Jump Nearly 3% as Iran Holds Firm on Hormuz Conditions 
Oil Surge Pressures Global Stocks as U.S.-Iran Truce Hopes Fade 
U.S. Stock Futures Fall as Iran, Oil and AI Risks Rattle Markets 
Oil Prices Rise as Iran Holds Firm on Strait of Hormuz Deal 
U.S. Stock Futures Steady as AI, Rate Concerns Weigh 
UK Housebuilder Stocks Surge on New First-Time Buyer Loan Scheme 
Australia Budget Deficit Narrows to A$22.3 Billion on Stronger Tax Revenue 
Asian Currencies Mixed as Yen Weakens, RBA Hike Looms 
Europe’s AI Data Centre Boom Strengthens Case for Nuclear Power 
Nvidia China Chip Sales Report Sends Chinese Semiconductor Stocks Lower 
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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.
