IEA Warns China Rare Earth Export Curbs Could Threaten $6.5 Trillion in Global Production 
UBS Boosts China Tech Bets, Adds Kuaishou and Meituan to Focus List 
South Korea Raises Interest Rates to 2.75% as Inflation and Weak Won Drive Tightening 
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 
Port of Los Angeles Posts Record June Cargo Volume as Importers Rush Ahead of U.S. Tariffs 
Oil Prices Rise as U.S. Strikes on Iran Raise Strait of Hormuz Supply Fears 
China Trade Surplus Hits $125.6 Billion as June Exports, Imports Smash Forecasts 
Australian Business Conditions Hold Steady as Easing Cost Pressures Face New Oil Price Risks 
Asian Stocks Rally as Cooling U.S. Inflation Boosts Fed Rate Cut Hopes 
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 
Asian Stocks Rise as Softer U.S. Inflation Boosts Sentiment Despite Middle East Tensions 
China Q2 2026 GDP Misses Forecast as Weak Domestic Demand Offsets Export Strength 
US Inflation Expected to Ease in June, but Fed Rate Hike Risks Persist Amid Middle East Tensions 
China Home Prices Fall Again in June Despite Slower Pace of Decline 
Gold Price Holds Near Record High as Cooling U.S. Inflation Offsets Fed Caution 
Asian markets opened cautiously this Monday as ongoing hostilities in the Gulf region continued to drive oil prices upward, casting a shadow over the global inflation outlook. With most major central banks scheduled for policy meetings this week, investors are bracing for a period of prolonged economic uncertainty.
Brent crude edged up slightly to $103.27 per barrel, while U.S. crude slipped to $97.99, reflecting a nervous energy market watching every development in the Strait of Hormuz. A glimmer of hope emerged after reports surfaced that the Trump administration may soon announce a multinational coalition to escort commercial ships through the critical waterway, potentially easing supply disruption fears.
Central banks across the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, Japan, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, and Sweden are all convening their first major meetings since the conflict began. JPMorgan's chief economist Bruce Kasman noted that policymaker forecasts will now lean toward higher inflation and slower growth, prompting many institutions to delay or scrap previously anticipated rate cuts. The Federal Reserve is widely expected to hold rates steady on Wednesday, with the probability of a June rate cut tumbling to just 26%, down sharply from 69% just a month ago.
Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of Australia stands out as the one central bank likely to raise its cash rate by a quarter point to 4.1% amid persistent domestic inflation pressures. Bond markets globally also felt the strain, with ten-year U.S. Treasury yields climbing to 4.26%.
Stock market futures showed modest gains, while investor eyes turn toward Nvidia's GTC conference in Silicon Valley, where cutting-edge developments in artificial intelligence and semiconductor technology are expected to take center stage.
The U.S. dollar remained broadly firm given America's advantage as a net energy exporter, while gold held steady at $5,022 per ounce, offering little safe-haven appeal despite the surrounding turbulence.
