Asian Stocks Slide as Chip Selloff Deepens Ahead of TSMC Earnings 
Gold Price Holds Near Record High as Cooling U.S. Inflation Offsets Fed Caution 
China Q2 2026 GDP Misses Forecast as Weak Domestic Demand Offsets Export Strength 
Port of Los Angeles Posts Record June Cargo Volume as Importers Rush Ahead of U.S. Tariffs 
South Korea’s KOSPI Enters Bear Market Despite Remaining 2026’s Best-Performing Major Stock Index 
Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Middle East Tensions Offset Weaker US Dollar 
Asian Currencies Stay Rangebound as Middle East Tensions, Weak China GDP Weigh on Sentiment 
US Stock Futures Hold Steady as Soft Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Fears 
Asian Stocks Slide as Oil Surge, U.S.-Iran Tensions and Fed Rate Bets Weigh on Markets 
U.S. Imposes 25% Tariff on Select Brazilian Imports After Section 301 Trade Investigation 
Dollar Holds Steady Ahead of U.S. CPI as Oil Surge, Middle East Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 
Dollar Slides as Softer US Inflation Dims Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
IEA Warns China Rare Earth Export Curbs Could Threaten $6.5 Trillion in Global Production 
Australia Consumer Sentiment Rises in July as Fuel Price Relief Lifts Confidence 
China Trade Surplus Hits $125.6 Billion as June Exports, Imports Smash Forecasts 
US Inflation Expected to Ease in June, but Fed Rate Hike Risks Persist Amid Middle East Tensions 
Australian Business Conditions Hold Steady as Easing Cost Pressures Face New Oil Price Risks 
Asian stock markets traded mixed on Monday as investors stayed cautious ahead of a highly anticipated Federal Reserve policy meeting later this week and a heavy global technology earnings calendar. Market sentiment across the region was further pressured by weakness in U.S. equities and a sharp rise in the Japanese yen, which weighed heavily on exporter-driven indexes.
U.S. stock indexes ended last week on a softer note, reflecting investor uncertainty around interest rate policy and corporate earnings. This cautious tone carried into Asian trading hours, with U.S. stock futures also pointing lower, signaling subdued risk appetite across global markets.
Japanese equities underperformed, with the Nikkei 225 index falling nearly 2%. The decline was largely driven by a sudden strengthening of the yen against the U.S. dollar, which sparked renewed concerns over potential currency market intervention by Japanese and U.S. authorities. A stronger yen typically erodes overseas earnings for Japanese exporters, prompting broad-based selling in Tokyo. The move into safe assets was evident as gold prices surged to record highs, underlining growing investor anxiety ahead of key policy events.
Elsewhere in Asia, South Korea’s KOSPI slipped nearly 1% after touching fresh record highs earlier in the session, as profit-taking emerged in heavyweight stocks. China’s Shanghai Composite remained largely flat, reflecting ongoing caution amid uneven economic signals. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 edged slightly higher, while Singapore’s Straits Times Index declined modestly. Indian stock markets were closed due to a public holiday.
Attention now turns squarely to the Federal Reserve’s upcoming meeting, where interest rates are widely expected to remain unchanged. However, investors will closely analyze any changes in forward guidance, particularly as inflation pressures persist. Comments from Fed Chair Jerome Powell are likely to influence global market direction in the near term.
Adding to volatility is a packed earnings schedule, featuring results from major technology companies such as Microsoft, Meta, Tesla, and Apple. In Asia, investors are also watching earnings from Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. While optimism around artificial intelligence-driven growth remains, concerns about high valuations, rising costs, and currency risks continue to temper enthusiasm, keeping markets on edge.
