Gold Prices Stabilize in Asian Trade After Sharp Weekly Losses Amid Fed Uncertainty 
South Korea Inflation Hits Five-Month Low as CPI Reaches Central Bank Target 
Starmer’s China Visit Highlights Western Balancing Act Amid U.S.-China Rivalry 
IMF Forecasts Global Inflation Decline as Growth Remains Resilient 
EU Recovery Fund Faces Bottlenecks Despite Driving Digital and Green Projects 
South Korea Factory Activity Hits 18-Month High as Export Demand Surges 
Oil Prices Slide Nearly 3% as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Geopolitical Tensions 
U.S. Stock Futures Rise as Investors Eye Big Tech Earnings and AI Momentum 
Japan Finance Minister Defends PM Takaichi’s Remarks on Weak Yen Benefits 
Japan’s Agricultural, Forestry and Fishery Exports Hit Record High in 2025 Despite Tariffs 
Gold, Silver, and Platinum Rally as Precious Metals Recover from Sharp Selloff 
Philippines Manufacturing PMI Hits Nine-Month High Despite Weak Confidence Outlook 
Dollar Holds Firm as Strong U.S. Data, Fed Expectations and Global Central Bank Moves Shape Markets 
JPMorgan Lifts Gold Price Forecast to $6,300 by End-2026 on Strong Central Bank and Investor Demand 
S&P 500 Rises as AI Stocks and Small Caps Rally on Strong Earnings Outlook 
UK Employers Plan Moderate Pay Rises as Inflation Pressures Ease but Persist 
Wall Street stocks closed slightly higher on Monday, with investors holding back amid renewed U.S. tariff threats and ahead of key economic data and earnings reports. President Donald Trump reignited trade tensions by announcing a 30% tariff on most imports from the EU and Mexico starting August 1, pressuring both parties into last-minute negotiations. The EU responded by pausing its retaliatory measures until early August, while the White House confirmed that talks with the EU, Canada, and Mexico are ongoing.
Despite the headline risk, market reaction was limited as investors have grown accustomed to Trump’s unpredictable trade stance. The Dow Jones rose 88.14 points (0.20%) to 44,459.65, the S&P 500 added 8.81 points (0.14%) to 6,268.56, and the Nasdaq Composite climbed 54.80 points (0.27%) to a record 20,640.33—its seventh record close since June 27.
Trading volume remained light at 15.43 billion shares, below the 20-day average of 17.62 billion. Communication services led gains among S&P sectors, up 0.7%, boosted by Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery. In contrast, the energy sector dropped 1.2% as crude oil prices fell 2.2% following Trump’s threat of tariffs on Russian oil buyers.
Crypto-related stocks advanced as Bitcoin crossed the $120,000 mark. Coinbase rose 1.8%, while MicroStrategy surged 3.8%. Investor focus now shifts to Tuesday’s consumer price index, expected to show a June inflation uptick, and Wednesday’s producer and import price data. The second-quarter earnings season begins Tuesday, led by major Wall Street banks.
Meanwhile, Waters Corp plunged 13.8% after announcing a $17.5 billion merger with Becton Dickinson’s biosciences unit, marking one of the largest lab equipment deals in recent years.
