Oil Prices Fall as Iran Peace Talks Progress, Hormuz Reopens, and U.S. SPR Hits 1983 Low 
U.S.-Iran Diplomacy Helps Drive Gasoline Prices Down 15% From May Highs 
China Keeps Loan Prime Rates Unchanged for 13th Straight Month as Policymakers Prioritize Credit Demand Recovery 
Japan Manufacturing Growth Accelerates in June as Orders Surge Despite Iran War Cost Pressures 
Italy’s Economy Outpaces Eurozone Peers as Investment Spending Fuels Growth 
US Stock Futures Slip After Wall Street Rally Fueled by US-Iran Deal and Chipmaker Surge 
Wall Street Ends Mixed as Alphabet Slumps, Middle East Developments and Fed Outlook Weigh on Markets 
Russian Stocks End Flat as MOEX Index Hits New 52-Week Low 
Japan Keeps Markets Guessing as Yen Nears 40-Year Low, Raising Intervention Risks 
China’s AI Manufacturing Boom Masks Weak Consumer Economy, Citi Says 
Yen Near 40-Year Low as USD/JPY Approaches Key 162 Level, Raising Intervention Concerns 
New Zealand Fast-Tracks Gold Mining as Industry Revival Gains Momentum 
Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Index Hits New 52-Week Low; Gold Falls and Oil Mixed 
Gold Price Rises as Investors Weigh U.S.-Iran Talks and Fed Policy Outlook 
France Faces Long Road to Economic Rebalancing as Weak Demand and High Rates Weigh, Says Citi 
Oil Prices Steady as U.S.-Iran Truce Uncertainty and Middle East Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 
Asian stocks opened the week with mixed performance, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s new 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports pressured markets. Concerns over escalating trade tensions weighed on investor sentiment, with China set to impose retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods.
South Korea’s KOSPI slipped 0.1%, with steelmakers hit hard—POSCO Holdings (NYSE:PKX) fell nearly 2%, and Hyundai Steel (KS:004020) dropped 2.5%. Japan’s Nikkei 225 edged 0.2% lower, while TOPIX declined 0.3%, with Nippon Steel (TYO:5401) down 1.5%. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dipped 0.4%, led by a nearly 1% drop in the mining sector. Indonesia’s Jakarta Composite plunged 2%, while India’s Nifty 50 started 0.4% lower.
Despite trade war tensions, China’s AI stocks extended their gains, driving optimism. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index surged 1.5%, fueled by tech leaders—Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU) climbed 3.5%, Alibaba (NYSE:BABA) jumped over 4%, and Xiaomi (HK:1810) rose 1.5% after a record-high close. China’s Shanghai Composite advanced 0.4%, while the CSI 300 was flat.
Investors also analyzed China’s latest inflation data, which showed moderate CPI growth but persistent PPI declines, signaling weak consumer spending and industrial activity. This raised expectations for further economic stimulus, with potential interest rate cuts or infrastructure investments on the horizon.
Meanwhile, U.S. stock index futures traded higher in Asian hours, offering some relief amid global market uncertainty.
