China Q2 2026 GDP Misses Forecast as Weak Domestic Demand Offsets Export Strength 
China Trade Surplus Hits $125.6 Billion as June Exports, Imports Smash Forecasts 
Gold Price Holds Near $4,000 as Middle East Tensions and Fed Rate Hike Bets Grow 
Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Middle East Tensions Offset Weaker US Dollar 
Japanese Yen Holds Steady as Intervention Hopes Grow Ahead of U.S. CPI Data 
China Home Prices Fall Again in June Despite Slower Pace of Decline 
US Stock Futures Hold Steady as Soft Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Fears 
US Inflation Expected to Ease in June, but Fed Rate Hike Risks Persist Amid Middle East Tensions 
South Korea’s KOSPI Enters Bear Market Despite Remaining 2026’s Best-Performing Major Stock Index 
Oil Prices Surge as U.S.-Iran Conflict Escalates and Strait of Hormuz Risks Grow 
Dollar Holds Steady Ahead of U.S. CPI as Oil Surge, Middle East Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 
IEA Warns China Rare Earth Export Curbs Could Threaten $6.5 Trillion in Global Production 
Gold Price Holds Near Record High as Cooling U.S. Inflation Offsets Fed Caution 
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 
Oil Prices Climb as Trump Escalates Iran Pressure, Strait of Hormuz Risks Grow 
Most Asian stock markets declined on Tuesday, extending recent losses as the technology sector continued to struggle under concerns about stretched artificial intelligence valuations. Investor sentiment remained fragile amid caution ahead of key U.S. and regional economic data, alongside growing expectations of a potentially hawkish stance from the Bank of Japan later this week.
Regional equities tracked weak cues from Wall Street, where U.S. markets retreated overnight due to persistent selling pressure in technology stocks. The latest downturn in the sector was triggered by underwhelming guidance and heavy capital expenditure plans announced by Broadcom and Oracle last week, raising doubts over the sustainability of AI-driven growth and data center spending. These concerns spilled over into Asian tech shares, keeping risk appetite subdued.
U.S. stock futures also reflected caution, with S&P 500 futures falling around 0.4% in Asian hours as investors awaited critical U.S. nonfarm payrolls and consumer price index inflation data due later this week. The upcoming data is expected to influence expectations around Federal Reserve interest rate policy, adding to global market uncertainty.
Japanese stocks were among the notable laggards, with the Nikkei 225 and TOPIX indexes dropping between 1% and 1.3%. Losses were broad-based, led by technology shares, as investors grew wary ahead of the Bank of Japan’s policy meeting. Markets are increasingly pricing in the possibility of a rate hike after recent comments from BOJ officials signaled openness to tightening monetary policy amid rising inflation. Upcoming Japanese CPI data further added to caution, while modest improvements in manufacturing activity and slightly slower services growth provided limited support.
Across Asia, technology-heavy markets underperformed. South Korea’s KOSPI and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng both fell roughly 1.7%, while Taiwan’s TSMC declined about 1.4%. China’s major indexes also slid around 1%, pressured by weak November economic data and renewed concerns over the property sector, particularly as China Vanke moves to restructure debt. Elsewhere, Australia’s ASX 200, Singapore’s Straits Times, and India’s Nifty 50 futures all edged lower, reflecting widespread risk aversion across the region.
