China Trade Surplus Hits $125.6 Billion as June Exports, Imports Smash Forecasts 
Oil Prices Climb as Trump Escalates Iran Pressure, Strait of Hormuz Risks Grow 
China Home Prices Fall Again in June Despite Slower Pace of Decline 
US Inflation Expected to Ease in June, but Fed Rate Hike Risks Persist Amid Middle East Tensions 
Asian Stocks Rally as Cooling U.S. Inflation Boosts Fed Rate Cut Hopes 
Singapore GDP Grows 5.7% in Q2 2026 as AI-Driven Manufacturing Boosts Economy 
Australian Business Conditions Hold Steady as Easing Cost Pressures Face New Oil Price Risks 
South Korea’s KOSPI Enters Bear Market Despite Remaining 2026’s Best-Performing Major Stock Index 
Asian Currencies Stay Rangebound as Middle East Tensions, Weak China GDP Weigh on Sentiment 
Goldman Sees Foreign Investors Driving India Stock Market Recovery 
Australia Consumer Sentiment Rises in July as Fuel Price Relief Lifts Confidence 
Port of Los Angeles Posts Record June Cargo Volume as Importers Rush Ahead of U.S. Tariffs 
Gold Price Holds Near $4,000 as Middle East Tensions and Fed Rate Hike Bets Grow 
UBS Boosts China Tech Bets, Adds Kuaishou and Meituan to Focus List 
Japanese Yen Holds Steady as Intervention Hopes Grow Ahead of U.S. CPI Data 
South Korea Raises Interest Rates to 2.75% as Inflation and Weak Won Drive Tightening 
Oil Prices Rise as U.S. Strikes on Iran Raise Strait of Hormuz Supply Fears 
Russian stocks finished Saturday’s trading session largely unchanged, with the MOEX Russia Index closing flat at 0.00% in Moscow. Despite the steady headline figure, individual shares posted modest gains and losses, reflecting mixed investor sentiment across key sectors of the Russian stock market.
Among the top performers on the MOEX Russia Index was Mobil’nye Telesistemy PJSC (MCX: MTSS), which advanced 0.53% to close at 236.00. Rosneft PJSC (MCX: ROSN) also recorded gains, rising 0.39% to 397.20, while ROSSETI PJSC (MCX: FEES) edged up 0.35% to finish at 0.07. These gains helped offset declines seen in parts of the banking and metals sectors.
On the downside, Bank VTB PJSC (MCX: VTBR) led losses, falling 0.49% to close at 88.45. AFK Sistema PJSC (MCX: AFKS) slipped 0.23% to 14.13, and Novolipetsk Steel (MCX: NLMK) declined 0.18% to end at 111.06. Overall market breadth remained positive, with 121 stocks advancing, 97 declining, and 23 closing unchanged on the Moscow Stock Exchange.
The Russian Volatility Index (RVI), which tracks implied volatility for MOEX Russia Index options, remained steady at 24.99, indicating stable market expectations.
In the commodities market, gold futures for April delivery surged 1.67% to reach $5,080.90 per troy ounce, reflecting strong demand for safe-haven assets. Crude oil prices were mixed, with April WTI crude dipping 0.06% to $66.39 per barrel, while April Brent crude rose 0.14% to $71.76 per barrel.
In the forex market, the USD/RUB exchange rate eased 0.03% to 76.72, while EUR/RUB gained 0.04% to 90.39. Meanwhile, US Dollar Index futures slipped 0.13% to 97.73, highlighting modest weakness in the greenback.
