Korea Zinc to Build $7.4 Billion Critical Minerals Refinery in Tennessee With U.S. Government Backing 
U.S. Stock Futures Mixed as Tech and AI Stocks Face Pressure Ahead of CPI Data 
New Zealand Budget Outlook Shows Prolonged Deficits Despite Economic Recovery Hopes 
Fed Near Neutral Signals Caution Ahead, Shifting Focus to Fixed Income in 2026 
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Ireland Limits Planned Trade Ban on Israeli Settlements to Goods Only 
Oil Prices Slip in Asia as 2026 Supply Glut Fears and Russia-Ukraine Talks Weigh on Markets 
Global Markets Slide as Tech Stocks Sink, Yields Rise, and AI Concerns Deepen 
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Oil Prices Rebound as U.S.-Venezuela Tensions Offset Oversupply Concerns 
Gold and Silver Prices Dip as Markets Await Key U.S. Economic Data 
Asian Currencies Trade Sideways as Dollar Weakens Ahead of Key U.S. Data 
Asian Stocks Slide as AI Valuation Fears and BOJ Uncertainty Weigh on Markets 
China’s Small Bank Consolidation Struggles as Profits Fall and Risks Persist 
Asian markets rallied Wednesday, led by Japan’s Nikkei, after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a trade deal with Japan, igniting investor optimism despite mixed corporate earnings in the U.S. The Nikkei surged 1.7%, with automakers like Mazda Motor and Toyota jumping 12% and 10%, respectively.
Trump said Japan agreed to invest $550 billion in the U.S. and implement a 15% reciprocal tariff. A separate agreement with the Philippines will see a 19% tariff on its imports. Though details remain limited, analysts noted relief that a 25% baseline tariff was avoided, reducing short-term uncertainty in equity markets.
Adding to the optimism, Trump revealed that EU officials would visit Wednesday for trade talks. Meanwhile, U.S. and Chinese representatives are scheduled to meet in Stockholm next week, potentially extending their August 12 trade deadline.
Despite the trade boost, Wall Street closed mixed on Tuesday. General Motors dropped 8.1% after revealing a $1 billion tariff-related hit. Investors await key earnings from Tesla and Alphabet, whose performance could influence the AI-driven rally in major U.S. tech stocks.
Nasdaq futures inched up 0.1%, while S&P 500 futures gained 0.2%. MSCI’s Asia-Pacific index (excluding Japan) rose 0.2%, with gains in South Korea and Australia.
The yen briefly rose but settled at 146.68 per dollar. The dollar index held flat at 97.45, marking a three-day decline. U.S. 10-year Treasury yields rose slightly to 4.3579% following recent criticism from Trump directed at Fed Chair Jerome Powell. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended Fed independence but warned against “mandate creep.”
Spot gold remained stable at $3,429 per ounce as traders balanced risk appetite with safe-haven demand.
