Trump Questions Housing Bill as He Prioritizes SAVE America Act 
Gold Price Falls as Fed Rate Hike Fears and U.S.-Iran Tensions Weigh on Bullion 
Gold Prices Rise Above $4,000 as Inflation Data and Weaker Dollar Boost Demand 
Economic pessimism has set in – but there are reasons for Australians to be hopeful 
Asian Currencies Stay Range-Bound as Investors Eye China Data, RBNZ Outlook and U.S.-Iran Ceasefire 
China Expands Export Controls, Adds 20 Japanese Companies to Restricted List 
S&P Affirms Brazil’s BB Credit Rating with Stable Outlook Amid Fiscal Challenges 
Global Financial Firms Shift Asia Expansion Focus to South Korea as China, India Face Caution 
China Sets 1.25% Overnight Reverse Repo Rate Below Market Expectations 
Iran Attack in Strait of Hormuz Pushes Oil Prices Higher 
Morgan Stanley Sees Chinese Auto Market Recovery Gaining Momentum in Late Summer 
Wall Street Ends Mixed as Micron Surges, Apple Drops After Price Hikes 
US Dollar Slips After PCE Inflation Data as Fed Rate Hike Expectations Stay Elevated 
South Korea’s KOSPI Plunges as Apple Price Hikes and OpenAI IPO Delay Shake AI Chip Stocks 
Asian Currencies Trade Mixed as Yen Hovers Near 40-Year Low, Dollar Holds Firm on Fed Outlook 
Mainland Chinese stocks surged to multi-year highs after returning from an extended break, fueled by investor excitement over Beijing’s aggressive stimulus measures. The CSI300 blue-chip index jumped 5.5% in early trade to reach its highest point since July 2022, while the Shanghai Composite Index climbed 5.2%, marking its highest level since December 2021.
However, this optimism did not extend to other Asian markets. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index dropped 2.5%, driven by a 5.3% slump in its Mainland Properties Index. Overall, MSCI’s Asia-Pacific index outside Japan fell by more than 1%.
Experts suggest that the Chinese market’s rise reflects investor confidence in the local market, while profit-taking could be behind Hong Kong's decline. Investors now await further details on China's stimulus pledges.
Meanwhile, fears of a Middle East conflict disrupted global markets. Brent crude briefly surged above $90 per barrel due to concerns about oil supply disruptions, but later retreated. Additionally, U.S. Treasury yields held steady as investors reconsidered the likelihood of further interest rate hikes from the Federal Reserve following strong U.S. jobs data.
