Australian Business Conditions Hold Steady as Easing Cost Pressures Face New Oil Price Risks 
Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Middle East Tensions Offset Weaker US Dollar 
Asian Stocks Rise as Softer U.S. Inflation Boosts Sentiment Despite Middle East Tensions 
US Inflation Expected to Ease in June, but Fed Rate Hike Risks Persist Amid Middle East Tensions 
IEA Warns China Rare Earth Export Curbs Could Threaten $6.5 Trillion in Global Production 
Japanese Yen Holds Steady as Intervention Hopes Grow Ahead of U.S. CPI Data 
Gold Prices Slip as Oil Rally Fuels Inflation Fears, Strengthens Dollar 
China Trade Surplus Hits $125.6 Billion as June Exports, Imports Smash Forecasts 
Australia Consumer Sentiment Rises in July as Fuel Price Relief Lifts Confidence 
Asian Currencies Stay Rangebound as Middle East Tensions, Weak China GDP Weigh on Sentiment 
Gold Price Holds Near $4,000 as Middle East Tensions and Fed Rate Hike Bets Grow 
UBS Boosts China Tech Bets, Adds Kuaishou and Meituan to Focus List 
Asian Stocks Rally as Cooling U.S. Inflation Boosts Fed Rate Cut Hopes 
China Q2 2026 GDP Misses Forecast as Weak Domestic Demand Offsets Export Strength 
Oil Prices Rise as U.S. Strikes on Iran Raise Strait of Hormuz Supply Fears 
US Stock Futures Hold Steady as Soft Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Fears 
U.S. Imposes 25% Tariff on Select Brazilian Imports After Section 301 Trade Investigation 
Asian share markets moved higher at the start of the week, following strong tech-led gains on Wall Street, while the Japanese yen continued to weaken sharply against major currencies despite a significant interest rate hike by the Bank of Japan. Trading volumes remained light due to a holiday-shortened global schedule, but investor sentiment leaned positive as markets looked ahead to key U.S. economic data.
Futures for major U.S. indices pointed upward, with S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures extending gains, reflecting ongoing optimism around technology stocks. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei jumped around 1.5%, benefiting from the yen’s steep decline, which tends to support export-heavy Japanese companies by improving overseas earnings. Broader regional markets also advanced, with MSCI’s Asia-Pacific index excluding Japan posting moderate gains, while South Korean stocks outperformed on expectations of strong AI-related earnings.
Attention remains focused on delayed U.S. GDP data, which is expected to show solid third-quarter growth of around 3.2% on an annualized basis. However, some caution is emerging. Analysts have warned that investor sentiment has reached extremely bullish levels, historically associated with short-term market pullbacks. Recent fund flow data showed record inflows into global equity markets, particularly U.S. stocks, while bond inflows continued to slow, highlighting a strong risk-on bias among investors.
In currency markets, the yen hit record lows against the euro and Swiss franc, even after the Bank of Japan raised interest rates to their highest level in three decades. The move triggered selling pressure in Japanese government bonds, pushing 10-year yields to levels not seen since the late 1990s. The dollar also remained firm against the yen, keeping markets on alert for potential intervention by Japanese authorities.
Commodities saw notable moves as well. Silver surged to a fresh all-time high, extending its remarkable gains for the year, while gold edged higher amid ongoing market uncertainty. Oil prices climbed after reports of U.S. actions against Venezuelan oil shipments, adding supply concerns to the market. Overall, global markets remain buoyant, though elevated valuations and extreme optimism are beginning to test investor confidence.
