South Korea’s KOSPI Enters Bear Market Despite Remaining 2026’s Best-Performing Major Stock Index 
Dollar Slides as Softer US Inflation Dims Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
ECB's Kocher Says No Inflation Spillover Yet From Iran Conflict, Warns Risks Remain 
Gold Prices Slip as Oil Rally Fuels Inflation Fears, Strengthens Dollar 
US Stock Futures Fall as Netflix Outlook, Chip Selloff and Iran Tensions Weigh on Markets 
South Korea Raises Interest Rates to 2.75% as Inflation and Weak Won Drive Tightening 
Oil Prices Set for Weekly Surge as U.S.-Iran Conflict Fuels Supply Fears 
Port of Los Angeles Posts Record June Cargo Volume as Importers Rush Ahead of U.S. Tariffs 
US Stock Futures Hold Steady as Soft Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Fears 
Asian Stocks Rise as Softer U.S. Inflation Boosts Sentiment Despite Middle East Tensions 
IEA Warns China Rare Earth Export Curbs Could Threaten $6.5 Trillion in Global Production 
AI Chip Stocks Face Valuation Pressure as Investors Shift Toward Big Tech and Software 
Nikkei Plunges 5% as AI Stock Selloff Spreads Across Asia 
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 
UBS Boosts China Tech Bets, Adds Kuaishou and Meituan to Focus List 
Asian Stocks Slide as Chip Selloff Deepens Ahead of TSMC Earnings 
The U.S. dollar dipped slightly on Thursday following a trade agreement between the U.S. and Vietnam, boosting hopes for more deals ahead of the critical July 9 tariff deadline. Meanwhile, investors are turning their focus to June’s U.S. jobs report for signs of the Federal Reserve’s next move on interest rates.
The ADP private payrolls report released Wednesday showed a decline for the first time in over two years, prompting traders to adjust their rate cut expectations. According to the CME FedWatch tool, the probability of a Fed rate cut in July rose to 25%, up from 20% the day before.
Sterling recovered modestly after a steep drop the previous session, as U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer reaffirmed support for Finance Minister Rachel Reeves. The pound had fallen nearly 1% after concerns resurfaced over Britain’s fiscal outlook, following a parliamentary setback on welfare reforms.
In currency markets, the pound edged up to $1.3647, the euro held steady at $1.1806, and the yen firmed to 143.56 per dollar. The U.S. dollar index remained weak at 96.701, tracking a 0.5% weekly decline and hovering near 3.5-year lows.
President Donald Trump’s announcement of a new trade deal with Vietnam included a 20% tariff on Vietnamese goods and a steep 40% tariff on trans-shipments, sending a signal of global supply chain restructuring. Analysts warn of potential retaliation from China and further disruptions ahead.
Adding to fiscal concerns, the House Republicans are facing resistance on Trump’s massive tax-cut and spending bill, projected to add $3.3 trillion to the national debt. Global bond markets are increasingly jittery as government deficits rise in the U.S. and beyond.
