China Trade Surplus Hits $125.6 Billion as June Exports, Imports Smash Forecasts 
Asian Stocks Slide as Chip Selloff Deepens Ahead of TSMC Earnings 
Asian Stocks Rally as Cooling U.S. Inflation Boosts Fed Rate Cut Hopes 
US Inflation Expected to Ease in June, but Fed Rate Hike Risks Persist Amid Middle East Tensions 
Oil Prices Climb as Trump Escalates Iran Pressure, Strait of Hormuz Risks Grow 
IEA Warns China Rare Earth Export Curbs Could Threaten $6.5 Trillion in Global Production 
China Q2 2026 GDP Misses Forecast as Weak Domestic Demand Offsets Export Strength 
Oil Prices Surge as U.S.-Iran Conflict Escalates and Strait of Hormuz Risks Grow 
US Stock Futures Hold Steady as Soft Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Fears 
UBS Boosts China Tech Bets, Adds Kuaishou and Meituan to Focus List 
U.S. Imposes 25% Tariff on Select Brazilian Imports After Section 301 Trade Investigation 
South Korea’s KOSPI Enters Bear Market Despite Remaining 2026’s Best-Performing Major Stock Index 
ECB's Kocher Says No Inflation Spillover Yet From Iran Conflict, Warns Risks Remain 
Gold Price Holds Near $4,000 as Middle East Tensions and Fed Rate Hike Bets Grow 
Port of Los Angeles Posts Record June Cargo Volume as Importers Rush Ahead of U.S. Tariffs 
Australian Business Conditions Hold Steady as Easing Cost Pressures Face New Oil Price Risks 
Asian Stocks Rise as Softer U.S. Inflation Boosts Sentiment Despite Middle East Tensions 
Asian stocks declined broadly on Tuesday, extending sharp losses from the previous session as investors remained cautious amid rising geopolitical tensions and political uncertainty. Regional markets were unsettled by renewed demands from U.S. President Donald Trump for Greenland, combined with limited cues from Wall Street due to a U.S. market holiday. Risk appetite across Asia stayed subdued, despite some support from Chinese economic data.
Japanese equities led losses in the region, with the Nikkei 225 and TOPIX indexes each falling around 1%. The decline came even as Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced plans to dissolve parliament on Friday and call a snap election for early February. While the move initially raised hopes of expanded fiscal stimulus, markets quickly grew concerned about how Japan would finance higher government spending, tax cuts, and increased defense outlays. These concerns triggered a sharp selloff in Japanese government bonds, sending the 10-year yield above 4% for the first time in nearly three decades, adding pressure on equities.
Broader Asian markets also retreated as investors reacted to Trump’s remarks suggesting tariffs on European nations unless Greenland is handed over to the United States. Trump further unsettled markets by not ruling out military force, reviving fears of geopolitical escalation after a recent U.S. incursion in Venezuela. European leaders rejected the demands, with some warning of potential retaliatory measures, heightening global market anxiety.
Chinese stocks saw modest losses, with the CSI 300 and Shanghai Composite each down about 0.5%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index slipped 0.3%. Markets took limited comfort from China’s GDP data showing the economy met its 5% growth target for 2025, although fourth-quarter growth slowed. Australia’s ASX 200 fell 0.6%, dragged lower by a sharp decline in BHP shares after the miner warned of weaker iron ore prices. South Korea’s KOSPI outperformed, trading flat near record highs, while other regional benchmarks were mostly subdued.
