Singapore GDP Grows 5.7% in Q2 2026 as AI-Driven Manufacturing Boosts Economy 
Asian Currencies Stay Rangebound as Middle East Tensions, Weak China GDP Weigh on Sentiment 
Asian Stocks Slide as Oil Surge, U.S.-Iran Tensions and Fed Rate Bets Weigh on Markets 
Iraq PM Visits Washington as U.S. Oil, Gas Deals Take Center Stage 
Gold Price Holds Near Record High as Cooling U.S. Inflation Offsets Fed Caution 
South Korea’s KOSPI Enters Bear Market Despite Remaining 2026’s Best-Performing Major Stock Index 
Gold Prices Fall as US-Iran Conflict, Rising Oil Prices Fuel Fed Rate Concerns 
China Q2 2026 GDP Misses Forecast as Weak Domestic Demand Offsets Export Strength 
Australia Consumer Sentiment Rises in July as Fuel Price Relief Lifts Confidence 
Dollar Slides as Softer US Inflation Dims Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
China Home Prices Fall Again in June Despite Slower Pace of Decline 
Asian Currencies Weaken as Stronger Dollar Weighs, Yen Supported by GPIF Repatriation Hopes 
China Trade Surplus Hits $125.6 Billion as June Exports, Imports Smash Forecasts 
Asia Stocks Slip as Iran-Hormuz Tensions Lift Oil Prices, Dollar and Bond Yields 
Dollar Holds Steady Ahead of U.S. CPI as Oil Surge, Middle East Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 
South Korea’s KOSPI Triggers Trading Curb as AI Chip Stock Selloff Deepens 
European Stocks Slip as Middle East Tensions and Hormuz Threat Rattle Markets 
Global financial markets were rattled Monday after the United States announced a blockade on Iranian shipping following the breakdown of weekend peace negotiations. The decision has renewed fears over Middle East energy supply disruptions, sending oil prices sharply higher while stocks and bonds across Asia and Europe declined.
Brent crude futures climbed 7.3% to $102 per barrel, reflecting deep investor concern over the potential long-term impact on global energy supplies. The move effectively eliminates up to 2 million barrels of Iranian-linked oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping lane. MST Marquee analyst Saul Kavonic warned that if the U.S. escalates further with strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure, the consequences for regional oil output could extend well beyond the duration of the conflict.
U.S. equity futures dropped 0.7%, while European futures fell 1.3%. Asian stock markets in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Seoul, and Sydney each declined roughly 1%. In bond markets, Japan's 10-year yield reached a 29-year peak of 2.49%, signaling growing inflation anxiety among investors. The U.S. dollar strengthened, with the euro dipping to around $1.1687, as traders shifted toward safer assets.
President Trump acknowledged on Sunday that elevated oil and gasoline prices could persist through the November midterm elections, highlighting the domestic political stakes tied to the ongoing crisis. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump and his advisers were considering limited military strikes on Iran, though no action had been confirmed.
Economists and market strategists warn that sustained high energy prices could force central banks in Europe and the U.K. to pivot toward interest rate hikes, reversing earlier expectations of rate cuts. Meanwhile, political developments in Hungary, where nationalist leader Viktor Orban lost power to a centre-right coalition, could unlock long-delayed EU funding for both Hungary and Ukraine.
