Malaysia Q2 Economy Grows 5.8%, Beating Forecasts on Strong Tech Exports and Domestic Demand 
Asian Stocks Slide as Nikkei Leads Losses on Tech Selloff and Rising U.S.-Iran Tensions 
South Korea Raises Interest Rates to 2.75% as Inflation and Weak Won Drive Tightening 
ECB's Kocher Says No Inflation Spillover Yet From Iran Conflict, Warns Risks Remain 
Gold Prices Head for Biggest Weekly Loss Since June as Fed Rate Outlook Weighs 
Asian Currencies Stay Rangebound as Middle East Tensions, Weak China GDP Weigh on Sentiment 
Brazil Weighs IP Curbs, Patent Suspensions After New U.S. Tariffs 
South Korea’s KOSPI Enters Bear Market Despite Remaining 2026’s Best-Performing Major Stock Index 
US Stock Futures Hold Steady as Soft Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Fears 
AI Chip Stocks Face Valuation Pressure as Investors Shift Toward Big Tech and Software 
Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Middle East Tensions Offset Weaker US Dollar 
Gold Price Holds Near Record High as Cooling U.S. Inflation Offsets Fed Caution 
UBS Boosts China Tech Bets, Adds Kuaishou and Meituan to Focus List 
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 
Oil Prices Set for Weekly Surge as U.S.-Iran Conflict Fuels Supply Fears 
U.S. stock indexes closed lower Monday but rebounded from earlier steep losses after President Donald Trump delayed new tariffs on Mexico. Trump granted a one-month pause after Mexico agreed to deploy 10,000 National Guard troops to curb illegal drug trafficking, especially fentanyl.
Over the weekend, Trump had announced 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada and 10% on China, warning of short-term economic pain. Analysts fear prolonged tariffs could further pressure markets and drive inflation. The Dow Jones fell 122.75 points (0.28%) to 44,421.91, while the S&P 500 lost 45.96 points (0.76%) to 5,994.57, and the Nasdaq dropped 235.49 points (1.2%) to 19,391.96. Defensive sectors like healthcare and consumer staples gained, while tech and consumer discretionary stocks lagged.
Automakers, hit hard by tariff concerns, recouped some losses, with Ford slipping 1.9% and GM dropping 3.2%. The Cboe Volatility Index spiked before settling at 18.6. Meanwhile, AI-driven market disruptions persisted, with Nvidia sliding 2.8% as semiconductor stocks dipped 1.8% following concerns over Chinese AI startup DeepSeek’s breakthrough.
The small-cap Russell 2000 index briefly touched a three-week low before closing down 1.3%. Investors sought safety in bonds and gold, pushing spot gold to a record high. Treasury yields edged lower.
Earnings season continued, with Tyson Foods rising 2.2% after an upbeat sales forecast and IDEXX Laboratories surging 11.1% on strong earnings. Economic data showed U.S. manufacturing expanded for the first time in two years.
Declining stocks outnumbered advancers by a 2.18-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and 2.37-to-1 on the Nasdaq. Trading volume reached 16.34 billion shares, above the 20-day average of 15.57 billion.
