- The yen fell to around ¥152 per dollar, its weakest level since 1986.
- The move represents a 40-year low, sparking speculation of possible FX intervention.
- Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama reiterated a pledge to stop excessive yen volatility.
- The USD/JPY pair slipped below 152.00, extending a 10‑day decline of over 5%.
June 30, 2026
▲ 61▼ 71◆ 17– 204
Markets 38
- USD/JPY trades near its highest level in several decades at 162.65
- US-Japan interest rate differential supports carry trades and US Dollar
- Expectations of further Fed rate hikes underpin US Dollar strength
- EUR/USD recovers from intraday low to 1.1415
- Fed rate-hike bets and geopolitical uncertainty support US Dollar
- ECB policymakers offer mixed signals on need for another rate hike
Read on FXStreet ↗
also: FXStreet
- Nasdaq advanced, climbing 21% for the quarter.
- S&P 500 logged its best quarterly performance since 2020.
- Strong quarterly performance occurred despite market gyrations.
- Russell 2000 up ~22% YTD, its best first-half performance since 1991
- AI‑related semiconductor firms in the index have gained over 400% year‑to‑date
- 2026 earnings growth forecasts for Russell 2000 companies rose to 38% from ~23% earlier in the year
- Each 25‑basis‑point Fed rate hike is projected to cut Russell 2000 operating earnings by about 2%
- Traders price a ~30% chance of a Fed hike at the July meeting, rising to >60% by September
- Dow industrials closed June at a record high
- S&P 500 gained 15% in the second quarter
- Nasdaq composite rose 21% in the second quarter
- Quarter marks the best performance for U.S. equities in six years
- SEC opened a 60‑day comment period to examine rules for novel ETFs, covering crypto‑focused funds
- Agency questions whether ETFs investing in non‑securities can be classified as investment companies
- ETF industry assets grew from $4 trillion in 2019 to $12 trillion in 2025, underscoring potential impact
- Proposed changes could expand ETF eligibility to event contracts, crypto assets, and single‑stock strategies
- Global stocks up $7T in H1 despite $9T March drop from Iran war and oil spike to $120/bbl
- AI-driven rally lifts MSCI ACWI 10% in H1; South Korea’s market surges 100%, while gold down 12% in June
- Japanese yen at 40-year low despite ¥11.7T intervention; Nikkei up 40% as yen risk spills into global fixed-income markets
- S&P 500 up 8.7% YTD, annualized ~20% with dividends
- Nasdaq 100 holding uptrend, trading near its 50‑day moving average after June 3 peak
- 1‑year correlation between S&P 500 and its equal‑weight version fell to 0.79, the lowest on record
- More than 80 "negative‑beta" stocks, the most since the 2000‑01 tech bubble
- Philadelphia Semiconductor Index averaged 4.1% daily moves in June, the most volatile since bear‑market crashes
- Economist Robin Brooks argues the US dollar has hit peak strength, despite recent gains in the Dollar Index.
- The Dollar Index rose from 99.52 to over 101.30 since a recent peace deal, contrary to expectations for a decline.
- Brooks attributes the dollar's resilience to the 'Warsh Fed meeting' and extreme long speculative positioning.
- Lopsided bullish positioning often signals a market top, suggesting an imminent dollar reversal.
- A potential weaker dollar could provide support for assets like Bitcoin and gold.
- NZD/USD trades around 0.5677, up 0.5% on the day.
- Key resistance at 0.5700; next levels at 0.5770 and 0.5824 (200‑day SMA).
- US Dollar Index (DXY) at 101.23, on track for a second consecutive monthly gain.
- ANZ Business Confidence rose to 36.6 in June, the highest since February.
- NZD/USD down about 5.2% for the month; break below 0.5600 could extend bearish trend.
Read on FXStreet ↗
also: FXStreet
- USD momentum may fade, potentially leading to a breather for Asian FX
- Fed hawkishness and US data resilience are already priced in, leaving USD vulnerable to US labour market data
- Contained oil prices may ease external balance and inflation concerns for net oil importers
- IDR stands out for selective recovery potential due to easing oil drag and supportive BI stance
- The filing is nearly four times longer than last year's disclosure
- It reports crypto-related income in the hundreds of millions of dollars
- Trump's portfolio now lists a significant position in Apple stock
- The disclosure also mentions ownership of celebration coins
- ETF net inflows accelerated to a record pace in the first half of 2026
- AI-focused equity ETFs attracted the bulk of new capital
- The surge underscores continued strong investor demand for AI-related stocks
- Dollar Index up 0.85% in the quarter, reaching 97.53
- Rise ends a three‑trading‑day losing streak
- U.S. dollar shows modest strength against a basket of currencies
- Barclays forecasts the South African rand to appreciate in the near term
- Currency gains attributed to relatively cheap valuation versus regional peers
- Higher interest‑rate expectations are seen as supportive for the rand
- Allison Transmission will be included in the S&P MidCap 400 index
- Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. will shift to the S&P SmallCap 600 index
- The changes are part of the routine S&P index rebalancing for 2026
- Semiconductor and computer‑hardware makers occupy the majority of the top‑20 list.
- Performance measured over Jan‑Jun 2026, with these stocks outpacing the broader S&P 500.
- The ranking highlights sector strength amid ongoing tech demand.
- The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has opened a public comment period on how to regulate emerging ETF structures.
- The request targets specialized ETF strategies as issuers roll out increasingly niche products.
- The SEC seeks input from market participants to shape future rules for next-generation ETFs.
- Major equity indices posted gains as investors reacted to a quiet Fed stance
- The Japanese yen slipped against the dollar, extending recent depreciation
- Market focus remains on Fed communications despite lack of policy moves
- Approximately 1,200 new U.S. millionaires were created each day in 2023, about 438,000 in total
- U.S. residents accounted for nearly 50% of all new millionaires worldwide last year
- Wealth gains were driven by strong equity market performance throughout 2023
- FCC will vote on July 22 to approve a 2027 auction of 160 MHz of Upper C‑Band spectrum
- Auction exceeds the 100 MHz minimum required by law, aiming to clear significantly more spectrum
- Sale is expected to raise billions of dollars in revenue
- FCC proposes retrofit rebates to help aviation upgrade altimeters against 5G interference
- Satellite operators will receive compensation for moving out of the reconfigured band
- Susquehanna filed a lawsuit to unmask traders who bet on a decline in Futu and Tiger Brokers shares
- The traders are alleged to have made roughly $100 million from the crackdown on Chinese brokerage firms
- The case focuses on short positions that profited from the stocks' price drops
- RBA kept cash rate unchanged at 4.35% but left door open for future tightening
- US Consumer Confidence Index rose to 91.2 in June from 90.6 in May
- AUD/USD traded higher near 0.6915, supported by hawkish tone and Chinese PMI data
- China's NBS Manufacturing PMI climbed to 50.3 and Non-Manufacturing PMI to 50.2, above forecasts
- UK Q1 2026 GDP grew 0.9% YoY, below forecasts of 1.1%
- GBP/USD rose 0.11% to around 1.3270 despite the growth miss
- US JOLTS vacancies jumped to 7.594 million in May, above the 7.3 million forecast
- BoE Governor Bailey warned inflation could hit 3.2% this year; Fed's Hammack signaled possible rate hikes
- Technicals show GBP/USD trading below the 50‑200‑day SMA cluster near 1.3420, with RSI at 42
- JPMorgan paid a $4 million "salami" settlement related to a banking dispute.
- The settlement has provoked a backlash from other banks in the industry.
- Banks are now intensifying efforts to push for regulatory rule changes after recent large awards.
- EUR/USD remains below 1.1450 resistance, with support at 1.1300‑1.1325
- ECB President Lagarde signaled that additional tightening could follow despite recent inflation slowdown
- Swaps price roughly 15‑16 basis points of extra ECB tightening risk by September
- A break above 1.15 is required for stronger Euro momentum
- EUR/NOK peaked near 11.35 in June and is projected to fall back toward 11.00 by end-July
- Norges Bank is expected to raise its policy rate in August, with markets assigning about a 60% chance of a hike
- Higher Brent crude prices could bolster NOK, while stronger US data or equity market weakness remain key risks
- Limited further upside for EUR/NOK beyond the 11.00 level is anticipated in July
- Recommend overweight US 10-year Treasury bonds as inflation eases and rate cuts become more likely
- AI-linked sectors and European banks/utilities seen as attractive equity opportunities
- Gold considered a safe‑haven due to central‑bank buying and geopolitical uncertainty; oil faces pressure from supply‑demand fundamentals
- Higher defence spending, energy transition, and regionalised supply chains expected to shape markets through H2‑2026
- Seiko watches see price increases up to ¥3.85 million ($23,800) for select models.
- Franck Muller, Fendi and Ferragamo announce price hikes across Japan.
- Price hikes coincide with a strong Japanese equity market, boosting consumer wealth and luxury spending.
- Retail investors have over 16 trillion yen (~$99 bn) in brokerage accounts.
- The amount is close to a historic high for Japan.
- These funds could act as a buffer if the Nikkei slips from its record 72,366.
- Orchid, beer and toy‑truck giveaways are common perks for shareholders in Japan.
- Analysts argue such gifts should be evaluated like any other capital allocation decision.
- Corporate governance advocates call for tighter scrutiny of non‑cash shareholder benefits.
- Potential reforms could shift focus toward direct returns rather than symbolic gifts.
- USD/SGD slipped to 1.2922, testing support at 1.2925
- Near‑term range projected at 1.2920‑1.2950
- 1‑3‑week outlook widened to 1.2870‑1.2970
- Longer‑term momentum still points to a move above 1.3000 toward 1.3095
- Regular dividend payouts can offset inflation but are not a safety net, as cuts and price drops can occur
- Overweighting income sectors like banks and REITs may limit exposure to high‑growth areas such as AI stocks
- A mixed portfolio of income (dividends, bonds, REITs) and growth assets is advised for different life‑stage needs
- S&P/BMV IPC dropped 1.00% at the close of trade.
- Broad Mexican equity market ended lower across most sectors.
- The decline adds to recent volatility in the local market.
- COLCAP slipped 0.75% in the session
- The broader Colombian market closed lower
- No major corporate news reported to drive the move
- MOEX Russia Index fell 0.17% at the close of trade
- Broad Russian equity market traded lower across the session
- No significant domestic or geopolitical catalyst reported
- Global FX settlement volumes up 3.2% MoM to $3.78 trillion
- Cross-border payments via SWIFT grew 4.1% YoY to $12.3 trillion
- Retail payment transactions rose 5.7% YoY to 112 billion
Macro/Economy 29
- June nonfarm payrolls projected at 80,000 (55k private, 25k government)
- Unemployment rate expected to edge down to 4.2% as participation slips
- Job growth returning to breakeven pace, tempering immediate Fed rate‑hike risk
- Risks include possible upside surprise in payrolls or stronger seasonal leisure hiring
- Canada's economy grew 0.5% in April, exceeding market expectations of 0.4%, after a 0.1% contraction in March.
- Advance estimates point to 0.1% GDP growth in May, suggesting economic stabilization after two prior quarterly contractions.
- The upbeat GDP report follows stronger-than-expected May inflation (3.2% YoY) and labor market data (87.8K jobs).
- The Bank of Canada may maintain a wait-and-see approach on interest rates given recent data.
- A strong US Dollar, supported by Fed rate hike expectations and Middle East uncertainty, limits deeper USD/CAD downside.
- Robert Mundell's 1969 paper proposed a European currency, relevant today amidst geopolitical tensions and economic fragmentation.
- Mundell's work spans macroeconomics, international monetary systems, and geopolitical forces, making his legacy highly relevant.
- Europe is at a crossroads, with war, rivalry, and economic fragmentation reshaping trade, energy markets, and strategic dependencies.
- White House says $1.4 trillion of new power infrastructure is required to prevent price spikes
- Electricity prices could climb as much as 58 % by 2030 without the investment
- AI data centers and Bitcoin mining may drive power demand up to tenfold by 2030
- Current grid capacity is deemed insufficient to meet the projected surge
- Student loans are increasingly following Americans into their supposed retirement years.
- This trend is preventing older individuals from retiring as planned.
- The issue highlights a growing financial burden on seniors.
- Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi will lead a delegation of over 50 firms, including Suzuki, Itochu and Toyota Tsusho, on a visit to India.
- South Korea plans to announce three megaprojects focused on a new semiconductor cluster in the southwest, with Samsung as a major investor.
- Indonesia's Jakarta Corruption Court will deliver a verdict on former education minister Nadiem Makarim, where prosecutors seek an 18‑year sentence over an alleged $134 million loss from Chromebook procurement.
- Indonesia will raise its mandatory biodiesel blend to B50, targeting about $8.9 billion in diesel import savings this year.
- Japan will halve passport fees but increase visa fees up to five‑fold, raising single‑entry visa costs to ¥15,000.
- BOJ published the June 2026 Tankan survey on July 1, 2026
- Summary PDF of the survey is 225 KB in size
- Comprehensive data set and long‑term time series were released on July 2
- No detailed sentiment results are provided in the announcement
- Average annual benefit gap: women get about $4,800 less than men.
- Q1 2026 median weekly earnings: $1,098 for women (80.6% of men's $1,362).
- 61% of caregivers are women, often reducing work hours and retirement savings.
- Early claim at age 62 yields ~70% of full benefit; each delayed year adds 8% up to age 70.
- Women comprise ~28 million retired worker beneficiaries, plus 2 million spousal and 3.3 million widow recipients.
- Real GDP growth forecast for 2026 lifted to 4.3% (up from 2.8%).
- Real GDP growth forecast for 2027 lifted to 3.0% (up from 2.3%).
- Upgrade driven by strong H1 2026 performance and reduced stagflation risks from US‑Iran de‑escalation.
- Growth supported by momentum in AI, financial services and construction sectors.
- China's 14th Five‑Year Plan earmarks heavy investment in both coal and renewable energy through 2029
- Coal will remain a significant share of power generation, with no target to phase it out
- Solar capacity is set to expand, keeping China as the world's largest renewable installer
- The dual strategy aims to balance energy security with climate commitments
- Xi pledges to expand high‑standard opening‑up over the next five years and under the 15th Five‑Year Plan
- New national security laws require citizens to act as informants, raising compliance risk for foreign firms
- Mandated CCP membership in foreign‑invested enterprises and tighter digital surveillance deter high‑value investment
- Canadian GDP rose 0.5% in April, beating estimates and marking the strongest monthly gain since July 2025
- Goods-producing industries led gains, with services expanding more moderately
- April data points to a firmer start to the second quarter, with upside risk to RBC's 1.7% annualized Q2 GDP forecast
- US CB Consumer Confidence Index rose to 91.2 in June, up from 90.6 (revised from 93.1) in May
- US Dollar Index gains momentum above 101.30
- Consumer confidence inched up due to falling oil prices and improving business conditions
- India holds the world’s third-largest rare‑earth reserves but contributes less than 1% of global production.
- Japan has pledged a 10 trillion‑yen private investment to help build India’s midstream rare‑earth processing and semiconductor ecosystem.
- China controls roughly 90% of global rare‑earth refining capacity, underscoring the strategic vulnerability India‑Japan must address.
- Current India‑Japan semiconductor cooperation is confined to assembly, testing and packaging, not wafer fabrication.
- The 2025 India‑Japan Economic Security Initiative formalises cooperation, but closing the industrial depth gap remains the key challenge.
- Former education minister and Gojek co‑founder Nadiem Makarim sentenced to 10 years in prison for abuse of authority
- Corruption case linked to US$87 million loss to the state
- Verdict may dampen foreign investor sentiment and raise legal‑certainty concerns in Indonesia’s economy
- Analysts warn potential slowdown in tech investment flows to Southeast Asia’s biggest market
- Politburo holds first flood and drought prevention meeting of the year, chaired by President Xi Jinping
- Top leadership warns of heightened extreme weather risks and calls for better forecasting and disaster prevention
- Local governments urged to take forceful measures against drought, flooding and typhoons, prioritising people's safety
- EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic announced an October deadline for measurable progress on the EU‑China trade deficit.
- Brussels talks aimed to avoid a trade war and improve the balance of trade with China.
- No specific measures were detailed; the EU expects its teams to deliver tangible results by the end of October.
- G7 ministers noted the US‑Iran agreement is easing Middle‑East tensions and helping pull global energy prices lower
- Macklem highlighted China's expanding trade surplus and excess manufacturing capacity as sources of deflationary pressure and potential protectionism
- He cautioned that growing imbalances—large deficits in some economies and surpluses in others—heighten financial‑stability risks via capital‑flow mismatches
- MSMEs contribute 31% of India's GDP, 35% of manufacturing output, and about half of merchandise exports
- RBI doubled collateral‑free loan limit for MSMEs from ₹10 lakh to ₹20 lakh, with scope to increase to ₹25 lakh
- Priority Sector Lending includes a dedicated sub‑target for micro‑enterprises and expanded CGTMSE guarantee with zero risk weight
- Account Aggregator framework enabled ₹3.5 lakh crore of MSME lending in FY 2025‑26
- RBI prohibited pre‑payment charges on floating‑rate loans for individuals and MSMEs
- NBS Governor Jorgovanka Tabaković states Serbian banks are well-capitalised and profitable
- Banks maintain high liquidity buffers, reinforcing sector stability
- Authorities plan to resolve long‑standing bankruptcy proceedings and safeguard assets of failed banks
- Vice‑president Liu Xiaochun of the Shanghai Finance Institute proposes Shanghai expand its financial services for Chinese outbound investors.
- The proposal was presented in mid‑June at a closed‑door China Finance 40 meeting in Beijing.
- Shanghai's push could heighten competition with Hong Kong as both cities vie for greater financial‑centre status.
- If adopted, the plan aims to support Chinese firms' increasing overseas investment needs.
- China Merchants Group and China Resources are leading new prime projects in Shenzhen
- Private property developers face fresh signs of a market downturn
- Construction activity in Shenzhen stays robust despite broader sector weakness
- Japan's IHI and India's ACME Group will receive joint funding for a hydrogen and ammonia production project
- The initiative is valued at roughly $3 billion
- Agreement expected later this week during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with Japan's Sanae Takaichi
- Government creates cross‑ministerial Japan Foreign Investment Committee
- Panel will prescreen inbound foreign investments for economic security risks
- Aim is to strengthen oversight and protect strategic sectors from hostile takeovers
- Graduates from elite US universities reported applying to an average of 8,000 entry‑level positions.
- Tuition fees at top schools can exceed $200,000, yet many graduates remain unemployed.
- AI automation is displacing entry‑level roles, contributing to persistently low hiring rates.
- Federal bank regulatory agencies release 2026 list of distressed or underserved nonmetropolitan middle-income geographies
- List includes areas eligible for Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) credit
- Designations reflect local economic conditions, including unemployment, poverty, and population changes
- New ASEAN Chamber of Commerce inaugurated in Hong Kong to bridge Greater Bay Area and ASEAN economies.
- Chairman describes Hong Kong as a natural connector for regional trade and investment.
- Analysts predict the chamber's economic impact will be modest rather than transformative.
- Beijing issued a preliminary anti-dumping verdict on Canadian pea‑starch imports
- The ruling follows Canada's anti-dumping investigation into Chinese steel racks
- Penalties will be applied, likely raising tariffs on the affected pea‑starch products
- The move threatens the recent easing of China‑Canada trade tensions
- Debate on fully opening ride‑hailing market in Japan has made little progress
- Current regulations restrict ride‑hailing to licensed taxi operators only
- Ruling party's backing of the traditional taxi industry hampers reform efforts
- Analysts warn the stalemate could curb corporate innovation and economic growth
Central Banks 20
- Central banks' operational readiness and collateral prepositioning are crucial for effective lender of last resort (LOLR) functions.
- Banks must be prepared to use LOLR tools, as seen in the 2023 Silicon Valley Bank and Credit Suisse crises.
- Prepositioning collateral may increase resilience but could reduce flexibility and potentially weaken banks' self-reliance.
- Bank of Japan raised its policy interest rate to around 1.0% at its latest Monetary Policy Meeting.
- Japan's economy is recovering moderately but is expected to grow at a decelerated rate, with risks from Middle East situation and crude oil prices.
- CPI (ex-fresh food) is around 1.5% but is expected to accelerate to clearly above 2%, with underlying inflation reaching 2% by H2 FY2026-FY2027.
- BOJ plans to continue raising the policy interest rate and adjust monetary accommodation, monitoring economic and financial developments.
- BOJ will maintain its JGB reduction plan until March 2027, then keep monthly purchases at about 2 trillion yen from April 2027.
- US inflation remains too high, with core inflation elevated and broad-based across the economy
- Fed may need to consider rate hikes if prices fail to moderate, despite resilient labor market and growth
- Consumer sector has shown resilience, but Hammack worries about higher interest rates' impact on the broader economy
- Higher energy prices could push UK inflation to 3.2% later this year, according to Governor Bailey.
- Financial conditions have tightened, giving the BoE time before any further rate hikes.
- Without the war, the inflation target would have been met by April‑May 2026, highlighting war‑driven inflation risk.
- Energy prices are now only slightly above pre‑Iran war levels, tempering immediate inflation pressures.
- New Fed chair Jerome Warsh says he will curb public commentary to let markets react to data
- Investors are closely parsing his early statements for clues on monetary policy direction
- Wall Street anticipates heightened market sensitivity until communication norms settle
- ING expects the ECB to retain a hawkish stance and deliver at least one more rate hike before July
- The sensitivity of rates to oil is projected to be muted, reducing arguments for a dovish turn
- Persisting uncertainty, including Middle East risks, supports keeping a cautious policy outlook
- Fed Governor Waller emphasizes rapid changes in dollar's global role due to financial innovation, particularly stablecoins and blockchain
- Conference explores how digital assets may reshape payment systems, FX markets, and U.S. Treasury market linkages
- Research examines whether stablecoins reinforce dollar dominance or introduce new systemic risks
- Ireland's macroprudential framework now covers borrower‑based measures, bank capital buffers, and non‑bank finance controls.
- Conference spotlights emerging risks from non‑bank finance, cross‑border payments, and digital assets such as stablecoins and cryptocurrencies.
- Calls for improved data, models and supervision to detect risks early, referencing the Silicon Valley Bank episode.
- Advocates research‑driven policy evaluation and cross‑central‑bank collaboration to adapt to rapid financial innovation.
- ECB publishes indicative calendars for Eurosystem's regular tender operations and reserve maintenance periods in 2027
- Calendars take into account Governing Council meetings and regular tender operations
- Indicative calendar for regular tender operations includes MROs and LTROs, excluding supplementary or ad hoc operations
Read on ECB Press ↗
also: ECB Press
- PBoC conducted 300 billion yuan of overnight reverse repurchase agreements in its latest OMO.
- The implied overnight rate is around 1.25%, though the coupon rate was not officially disclosed.
- The 7‑day reverse repo rate remains the primary policy instrument for now.
- MUFG expects the overnight rate to gradually become the medium‑term policy anchor.
- The transition to the overnight rate as the main anchor is expected to take time.
- May PCE inflation rose to a 4.1% annual rate, the highest since April 2023
- FedWatch tool shows about a 67% chance of a September rate hike
- Average 1-year CD APY is up 19 basis points QTD, with new‑money rates ~35 bps above the group average
- Banks such as Bread Financial, Citi and Popular Direct offer 1-year CD yields between 4.00% and 4.15%
- Banks are trimming high‑yield savings rates while raising CD rates amid a higher‑for‑longer Fed stance
- Cash share in point‑of‑sale payments fell to 40% in 2024, down from about 50% in 2019
- Online purchase share doubled to 36% of total payments in 2024
- Retail outlets not accepting cash rose to 12% in 2024, three times the 2021 level
- Digital euro will complement cash, providing central‑bank money in a digital form
- Nagel frames the digital euro as a tool for innovation, financial stability and European sovereignty
- More than 330 ECB Executive Board speeches (1999‑2026) referenced heterogeneity.
- These speeches are associated with larger negative interest‑rate surprises than other speeches.
- Stock prices tend to fall more after heterogeneity‑focused speeches.
- Heterogeneity references account for roughly 12% of the 2,400 total ECB speeches since 1999.
- Eurozone economies vary in structure and cycles, but diversity can boost resilience to external shocks
- ECB tools such as the Outright Monetary Transactions (OMT) and Targeted Price Index (TPI) aid uniform policy transmission
- Post‑pandemic inflation showed supply‑side shocks can persist, prompting careful assessment of shock duration and expectations
- Labour market unemployment is near historic lows, yet productivity growth remains weak and skills shortages persist
- Updated Form PL definitions to improve consistency and alignment with ONS UK National Accounts requirements.
- Key change: updated treatment of tax (PL16 / PL.01.01.01 C0010 R1600) for clarity on production and related charges.
- Effective from Q1 2027 reporting period, to be submitted in May 2027.
- The IMES Discussion Paper Series (DPS) for 2026 has been announced.
- The series aims to stimulate discussion and comments on various topics.
- Views expressed in the papers are solely those of the authors and do not reflect the Bank of Japan or IMES.
Energy/Oil 19
- Oil prices posted the steepest quarterly decline in six years, the biggest drop since 2018
- Alternative routes around the Strait of Hormuz mitigated the impact of reduced Persian Gulf shipments
- Crude imports to China fell, easing demand pressure on the market
- Brent and WTI crude futures continued to fall, extending the price decline
- WTI Oil trades higher at $70.80 per barrel amid improving shipping through the Strait of Hormuz
- Analysts remain divided on normalization of crude flows and upside risks for oil prices
- WTI price forecast revised lower to $79.49 per barrel, citing reduced risk of prolonged supply disruptions
- Brent crude for August delivery fell 21% in June, its steepest monthly decline since March 2020, closing at $72.92 per barrel
- U.S. WTI August futures dropped over 20% in June, its worst monthly performance since late 2021, ending at $69.50 per barrel
- Traders are closely monitoring potential US‑Iran talks in Doha, which could affect oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz
- Both Brent and WTI remain up year‑to‑date despite the sell‑off, as the US‑Iran conflict has constrained supply
- Ukrainian drones have hit Russian oil refineries, causing fuel shortages and prompting rationing.
- Petrol stations report long queues as authorities impose temporary gasoline export bans.
- Kremlin officials pledge to maintain supply, but further attacks could deepen the crisis.
- U.S. crude production rose to 13.934 million barrels per day in April, the highest monthly level on record.
- April output is up 216,000 bpd from March's 13.718 million bpd.
- Higher output followed a price spike triggered by the Iran war and the Strait of Hormuz closure.
- Oil prices have eased as Persian Gulf exports gradually resume.
- Brent crude rose above $73 per barrel amid renewed U.S.-Iran tensions.
- Hormuz daily transits fell to 20‑25 ships after a cargo ship attack and Iranian strikes.
- June 24 recorded 59 Hormuz crossings, the highest since the U.S.-Iran MoU was signed.
- Analysts warn of potential sharp summer price swings due to chokepoint volatility.
- Iran warns of Strait of Hormuz control amid U.S.-Iran Doha talks stalemate, raising regional supply risks
- Russia considers diesel export ban as Ukrainian drone strikes cripple 15-25% of refining capacity
- U.S. heatwave boosts natgas demand, futures rebound to $3.20–$3.30/MMBtu despite prior EIA storage builds
- Global LNG demand to rise 65% by 2050 from 2025 levels
- Surging gas demand in South and Southeast Asia drives growth
- 2026 LNG trade growth stalled by Strait of Hormuz crisis
- Morgan Stanley now expects Dated Brent to average $75/bbl in Q3 2024, $15 lower than its prior forecast
- The Q4 2024 Brent average is also projected at $75/bbl, $5 below the mid‑June outlook
- Brent price target for end‑2027 is cut to $70/bbl, indicating a surplus outlook
- Goldman Sachs lowered its Q4 Brent forecast to $80/bbl from $90/bbl and its 2027 average to $75/bbl
- Tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is expected to recover fully by end‑July, but may never return to pre‑war levels
- Missile strikes in the US‑Iran conflict damaged oil and gas facilities across the Gulf, with restoration costs estimated at $46 billion.
- Japanese‑built energy complexes, including Qatar’s Ras Laffan LNG hub, were among the hardest hit, highlighting a shift toward Chinese and Indian contractors for reconstruction.
- Restoration of critical equipment such as heat exchangers is expected to take around three years.
- The damage could tighten global oil and gas supplies, pressuring Brent and WTI prices.
- Oil futures rose in early Asian trading after posting their sharpest quarterly drop since 2020 on Tuesday
- Traders cite a possible technical rebound as the catalyst for the price gain
- Market participants watch support levels to gauge further direction
- India imported about 5 million barrels per day of crude in June, the highest monthly total on record.
- Russian crude supplied 2.6 million b/d, representing 54% of India's total imports.
- Russian shipments rose from roughly 1.1 million b/d in February to 2.6 million b/d in June, more than doubling in four months.
- The surge positions Russian oil as a key pillar of India's energy‑security strategy.
- Australian oil and gas companies plan to increase exploration activity as the Iran war fuels an energy crisis.
- Australia, a leading LNG exporter, conducts quarterly domestic gas supply assessments amid regulator warnings of regional shortages.
- The exploration push aims to bolster domestic gas security and meet rising global LNG demand.
- API reports US crude inventories fell by 6.072 million barrels in the week ending June 26
- The previous week saw a 765,000-barrel draw, continuing a two‑month decline trend
- Commercial crude stocks (excluding SPR) have shed 59.4 million barrels over the past 11 weeks
- Year‑to‑date US crude inventories are down about 8 million barrels, aided by SPR releases
- Natural gas futures reversed two days of losses, moving higher on the day
- A widespread heat wave across the United States lifted spot demand for gas
- Increasing LNG export volumes added further support to futures prices
- For the first time since records began, no Brent crude cargoes are scheduled to load in August
- Brent pricing still underpins more than 60% of internationally traded crude
- The issue stems from declining production at the original Brent field, not from reduced market relevance
- Refinery disruptions in Russia are driving up gasoline and diesel prices in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and neighboring markets.
- Regional governments are seeking alternative supply sources as price spikes are deemed unavoidable.
- Kyrgyzstan's first deputy prime minister warns higher fuel costs will persist until global supply stabilises.
- Around 14 million barrels of Iraqi oil left the Gulf over the past 10 days
- Average shipment rate of roughly 1.4 million barrels per day
- Transit used the Strait of Hormuz as US‑Iran ceasefire eased tensions
- Crude headed to buyers in Asia, Europe and the United States
- US energy consumption reached 96 quads in 2025, a 2% increase from 2024
- Petroleum was the most-used energy source in 2025, followed by natural gas
- Renewable, coal, and nuclear energy each made up about 9% of total energy use
Gold/Metals 16
- Silver (XAG/USD) edges higher by nearly 2.5% to $59.70, attempting to reclaim the $60 level.
- US Dollar (DXY) trims intraday gains despite upbeat US JOLTS Job Openings (7.594M) and Consumer Confidence (91.2) data.
- DXY is on track for a second consecutive monthly gain, contributing to Silver's nearly 20% drop this month.
- Technical analysis indicates a persistent bearish trend, with XAG/USD trading below key SMAs ($64.32, $69.68) and facing strong resistance at $60 and $63.
- Momentum indicators (RSI, ADX) suggest a consolidative phase within a broader downside structure, with sellers maintaining control.
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- Gold up 0.35% to $4,026 but still below June peak of $4,500
- Monthly loss exceeds 11% as price retreats from recent highs
- US Dollar Index at 101.17 and 10‑year Treasury yield at 4.412% weigh on gold
- Markets price in 35 basis points of Fed tightening by Dec 2026
- Technical: next resistance $4,100; support at $3,941, with $3,500 as deeper floor
- Gold is on track for the steepest quarterly decline since 2011.
- War‑driven inflation concerns have pushed the metal lower.
- The price drop erased gains made earlier in the year.
- Gold bounces to $4,030 after touching a fresh seven-month low of $3,941
- Hawkish Fed expectations and a stronger US Dollar continue to weigh on the non-yielding metal
- XAU/USD attempts to stabilize above the $4,000 mark, but technical indicators favor sellers
- Gold futures down ~24% from Jan all-time high near $5,589/oz, on track for worst quarter since 2013
- Iran-US Doha talks face 'Catch-22' deadlock over frozen assets, sanctions, and Strait of Hormuz transit rules
- Dollar Index near 13-month high, gold below $4,000/oz as hawkish Fed expectations weigh on non-yielding metal
- LMEX index remains under pressure despite China's manufacturing PMI rising to 50.3 in June, driven by AI-related exports.
- A US Commerce Secretary report on potential 15% tariffs on refined copper (rising to 30% by 2028) is due today.
- Introduction of tariffs could trigger a surge in pre-emptive US demand and further COMEX stock builds.
- A decision to forgo tariffs or postpone them would ease market strain and potentially draw from COMEX stocks.
- Gold hit an eight-month low of $3,942.15, rebounding slightly but struggling to hold above $4,000.
- A hawkish Fed, leading to elevated Treasury yields and a strong US dollar, significantly reduces gold's appeal.
- Improved risk appetite from the Strait of Hormuz reopening, lower oil prices, and the AI frenzy divert investment flows from gold.
- Key support levels are identified at $3,880, $3,750, and just above $3,600 if $4,000 breaks decisively.
- A meaningful rebound for gold is unlikely until the Federal Reserve signals an end to its tighter monetary policy.
- Gold price steadied around $4,015 per ounce in early Asian trading.
- US envoys met in Doha to discuss US‑Iran talks, with no high‑level Iran delegation present.
- US ADP employment figures and Non‑farm Payrolls due later week could sway Fed outlook and impact gold.
- Higher‑for‑longer Fed expectations may support the dollar, weighing on gold’s safe‑haven appeal.
- Feasibility study values the Diamba Sud project at roughly $1 billion, nearly double its prior estimate
- Probable gold reserves are now defined, extending the mine's expected life
- The project is projected to boost Fortuna Mining's African revenue and earnings outlook
- Positive development may lift investor sentiment toward the company's gold assets
- Discovery located in the Gidan Waya pegmatite region of Kaduna State, Nigeria
- Deposit contains nickel, copper, gold, platinum‑group metals and rare‑earth elements
- Identified by Steron Mining and confirmed by the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency
- Described as one of the country's most important critical‑minerals finds in recent years
- Gold price is trading close to its all‑time high levels.
- Gold producers report record margins, strong free cash flow and the strongest balance sheets in a generation.
- Generalist investors continue to avoid gold mining equities despite the sector's robust fundamentals.
- Silver fell from a June 22 high of 65.31 to a low of 55.75, now trading around 60.33.
- Key resistance levels: Sell 2 at 60.88 (weekly pivot 60.71) and Sell 1 at 65.73.
- Support zones: Weekly Buy 1 at 54.20 and Buy 2 near 49.19 if prices break lower.
- Technical indicators (MACD, higher lows) suggest gradual buying pressure returning.
- Spot gold trading near $3,550/oz, close to the $3,600 resistance level
- Weakening US Treasury yields and heightened geopolitical tension cited as upside catalysts
- A break above $3,600 could trigger a rally toward $3,650
- Gold holds around $1,950/oz ahead of the U.S. non‑farm payrolls release
- Real yields on 10‑year Treasury bonds stay near 2.0%, limiting upside for gold
- Market focus on payrolls and unemployment data will drive gold’s direction later this week
- Gold near 3-month lows, down ~5% since mid-March amid strong USD and higher real yields
- Fed’s hawkish stance and delayed rate-cut expectations weighing on non-yielding assets
- Technical support seen around $2,200/oz; break below could trigger further downside
- Silver One Resources reports progress on restarting its Nevada silver mine.
- Company outlines plans to develop a copper project in the same region.
- No specific production volumes or timelines were disclosed.
Crypto 44
- Crypto companies are flocking to the UAE due to faster licensing and a dedicated crypto regulator.
- The European Union's MiCA rules are tightening ahead of a July 1 deadline, prompting entrepreneurs to reassess Europe.
- Dubai-based lawyer Irina Heaver reports receiving over 120 inquiries a week from European founders looking to set up in the UAE.
- Trump disclosed $635 million in memecoin royalties and $500 million from token sales in 2025.
- He holds over $50 million each in Bitcoin and Ethereum, plus $25 million in USDC.
- Bitcoin is down roughly 50% from its recent all‑time high as the crypto market slumps.
- Trump reported purchases of Coinbase (COIN) shares, though exact holdings remain unclear.
- The disclosures intensify conflict‑of‑interest concerns amid pending crypto‑regulation legislation.
- MetaMask introduced 'Money Account,' a new feature combining stablecoin yield, spending via MetaMask Card, and trading within a single self-custodial wallet.
- Users can earn up to 4% variable annual percentage yield (APY) on stablecoin balances, with funds automatically allocated to decentralized lending protocols like Morpho.
- The account is centered around MetaMask's proprietary mUSD stablecoin and allows spending at Mastercard-accepting merchants.
- The initiative aims to expand stablecoin utility beyond trading and transfers, positioning MetaMask as a broader financial platform.
- Users retain full custody of their assets throughout the process, unlike traditional centralized finance offerings.
- A consortium, Open Standard, including Visa, Mastercard, and Coinbase, launched a new U.S.-dollar pegged stablecoin, Open USD.
- Open USD is expected to go live later this year, aiming to accelerate global stablecoin adoption by addressing business scaling hurdles.
- Businesses can mint and redeem Open USD without cost or volume limits, with reserve earnings shared among partners.
- The initiative seeks to unlock the next phase of digital asset growth by providing an open, low-cost, high-throughput, and broadly accessible stablecoin.
- Jefferies expects elevated volatility in crypto tokens and blockchain-related equities as the Clarity Act's prospects become clearer.
- Passage of the Clarity Act would unlock the next phase of institutional digital asset adoption, while delays would prolong regulatory uncertainty.
- Polymarket now puts the odds of passage by the end of 2026 at 48%, down from 70% in mid-May.
- Circle shares fell 17% to a 4-month low after Open USD's launch
- Open USD allows partners to keep reserve income and eliminate minting fees
- Launch partners include Stripe, Coinbase, Mastercard, Visa, and BlackRock
- Innovation in tokenized securities thrives with investor choice, not pre-selected models by regulators.
- Tokenization is the next evolution of capital markets, following book-entry and electronic trading.
- Three models for tokenized securities exist: market infrastructure tokenization, customer-driven tokenization, and issuer-sponsored tokenization.
- Policymakers should allow different tokenization models to compete while ensuring investor protection and market strength.
- Avoiding 'walled gardens' and misleading product claims is crucial for the integrity and global competitiveness of U.S. capital markets.
- Bitcoin has been confined to a $59,000‑$60,000 band for five consecutive days.
- Analysts say a break below this range could push the price toward $40,000.
- MicroStrategy may sell over $1 billion of bitcoin, adding sell pressure.
- A stronger U.S. dollar and capital rotation to AI‑linked stocks are weighing on crypto.
- BTC is on track for a 13% loss in Q2 2024.
- Bitcoin ETFs sold 71,600 BTC (~$4 bn) in June, the largest redemption on record.
- Corporate treasuries bought only 7,500 BTC, leaving a net outflow of ~77,000 BTC ($4.4 bn).
- MicroStrategy authorized up to $1.25 bn of Bitcoin sales to fund a $2.55 bn USD reserve.
- Bitcoin hovers around $60,000 but lacks institutional buying, limiting short‑term upside.
- Bitcoin fell 1.5% to $59,250, near its lowest since late 2024 ($58,800)
- Ether dropped 1.73% to $1,580, testing support around $1,640
- BTC puts trade at a 10%+ premium to calls despite BVIV volatility around 44%
- Dogecoin open interest rose to 16 billion tokens, the highest since the Oct 10 crash
- Stellar (XLM) held gains after DTCC integration news; LIT up 23% week‑over‑week
- Bitcoin held below $60,000, down 7% on the week, pressured by a surging U.S. dollar.
- Ether fell 8.2% and Dogecoin slid 11.9% over seven days, while Solana bucked the trend with a 2.9% gain.
- The U.S. dollar strengthened as the Japanese yen fell to a 40-year low, making dollar-priced assets costlier.
- On-chain demand remained quiet with shrinking transaction fees, indicating subdued activity.
- Strategy's plan to potentially sell over $1 billion in Bitcoin added to market caution in a thin market.
- Michael Saylor's company abandons 'never sell bitcoin' mantra
- Stock buybacks and bitcoin sales planned to weather crypto winter
- Company seeks to outlast current market downturn
- Nearly 1,700 British investors sue Binance for at least £150 million (~$200 million).
- Claims allege Binance sold leveraged crypto derivatives without FCA authorization since late 2019.
- Binance’s primary licence is in the UAE after a failed attempt to obtain a Greek licence.
- The FCA banned retail crypto derivatives in 2021; Binance had previously limited UK access.
- OKX AI marketplace opens to developers on Tuesday after a closed beta with 50 AI service providers
- Platform lets AI agents hold digital wallets, pay with stablecoins and build on-chain reputations
- OKX estimates the agentic commerce market could be worth $1 trillion within five years
- ICE invested about $200 million in OKX at a $25 billion valuation to support the new platform
- Marketplace targets crypto developers, especially in India, and requires no OKX account to use
- SEC secured a $5.4M judgment after finding NanoBit's crypto trading platform was fake
- Hundreds of thousands of dollars in investor funds were allegedly misappropriated
- The ruling highlights continued regulatory scrutiny of crypto platforms
- NanoBit faces potential further legal and compliance repercussions
- Investors expected institutional adoption and ETFs to soften Bitcoin selloffs
- Recent market activity shows continued sharp price declines despite ETF launches
- Analysts question whether ETFs can meaningfully reduce Bitcoin's volatility
- Bitcoin price fell to within 10% of its realized price, a level that has marked bottoms in prior bear markets
- The current price is about $5,000 away from the $5K level touted as the best entry point
- Analysts warn the crypto could still slip lower, but the proximity to historic lows fuels bullish sentiment
- Spot Ethereum ETF recorded $345 M net outflows, eclipsing Bitmine's recent Ether purchases.
- Tokenization and real‑world asset TVL on Ethereum continue to expand, bolstering fundamentals.
- Decentralized application activity remains stagnant, limiting upside momentum for ETH.
- Analysts caution the price could slip below $1,500 if outflow pressure persists.
- Phantom added three Hyperliquid developers (Alvin Hsia, Emily Hsia, Aris Samad) to its trading team.
- The hires aim to deepen Phantom's perpetual futures product as part of a broader push into trading.
- Perpetual futures are among crypto's fastest-growing derivatives, now expanding into traditional markets.
- Phantom is now the largest distribution partner in the Hyperliquid ecosystem.
- Visa and Mastercard join crypto firms to back a new USD‑pegged stablecoin
- The initiative aims to compete with the two largest stablecoins, Tether’s USDT and Circle’s USDC
- Participants plan to retain earnings from the stablecoin’s reserve assets
- Circle shares fell about 16% after the Open Standard announced its Open USD stablecoin.
- The Open USD consortium counts over 140 partners, including Stripe, Coinbase, Visa, Mastercard and BlackRock.
- Consortium-backed USDG has a $3 bn supply, far behind USDC's $73 bn and Tether's $145 bn.
- Analysts say the sell‑off may be an overreaction and note significant adoption hurdles for OUSD.
- Circle's commercial agreement with Coinbase is up for renewal in August.
- Bitcoin price threatened to fall below $58,000 amid market weakness
- US dollar rose to its highest level against the Japanese yen since 1986
- Analysis suggests capitulation among investors who bought at 2025 highs
- Crypto industry, big tech and gambling groups have collectively spent nearly $300 million on the 2026 US election cycle.
- Crypto companies alone have contributed $189 million so far.
- Spending targets politicians ahead of the 2026 primaries and general election.
- Over 50% of surveyed firms say they will use stablecoins within the next 12 months
- Regulatory clarity is cited as the biggest barrier to wider stablecoin adoption
- Cybrid forecasts a significant surge in business stablecoin usage, indicating bullish momentum
- Guo received a 30‑year prison term for racketeering, fraud and money‑laundering
- Prosecutors say the scheme raised about $500 million and stole over $1 billion from investors
- He was ordered to forfeit roughly $900 million in assets, including a New Jersey mansion and luxury cars
- Guo’s H‑Coin was marketed as 20% gold‑backed, a claim later proven false
- Bank of Italy authorizes Hodli as a crypto asset service provider under EU MiCAR rules
- Approval enables Hodli to manage client crypto portfolios, beyond custodial services
- CEO says proprietary algorithms and AI will be used to allocate and monitor crypto investments
- Hodli aims to partner with banks to manage the crypto component of customers' portfolios
- Benchmark sets a $570 per share price target for the new Bitcoin capital framework
- MicroStrategy (MSTR) and STRC shares climb after the announcement
- Traders voice concerns over long‑term demand risk for the Bitcoin product
- Theo, an on‑chain capital markets platform, allocated $20 million to Fidelity International’s tokenized liquidity fund.
- The investment marks the first crypto‑native participant in Fidelity’s tokenized Treasury product.
- Tokenized Treasury products are attracting growing institutional capital, indicating expanding interest in digital‑asset finance.
- Long-term Bitcoin addresses hold a record‑high supply of the cryptocurrency
- Analyst Cory Klippsten interprets the record supply as an early bottom indicator
- Potential bullish outlook for Bitcoin if the bottom holds
- StarkWare announced a roadmap for Starknet to become quantum‑resistant
- CEO Eli Ben‑Sasson said the crypto sector should not need external wake‑up calls
- The plan outlines technical steps to protect Starknet against future quantum attacks
- Spiko added Coinbase Payments to two EU-regulated UCITS Treasury funds
- The integration allows investors to subscribe and redeem using USDC and EURC stablecoins
- Payments are processed through Coinbase's Base layer-2 network
- NYLIM, the $807 bn asset manager, partnered with Centrifuge to issue its first tokenized fund.
- The fund replicates a U.S. high‑yield corporate bond strategy, with subscriptions/redemptions settled in USDC.
- Tokenized real‑world assets market is over $30 bn and could reach $5.5 tn by 2030 (Citi forecast).
- Other major managers (BlackRock, Franklin Templeton, Apollo) already have on‑chain funds, expanding beyond Treasury tokenization.
- ESMA mandates EU crypto clients be served only by MiCA‑authorized entities
- Binance faces regulatory questions after missing the MiCA authorisation deadline
- Potential enforcement could force Binance to restructure its EU service model
- FCA cuts stablecoin issuers' capital requirement to 1% of circulating value, down from 2%
- The new 1% buffer is lower than the 2% requirement under the EU's MiCA regulation
- Bank of England reverses its proposal to cap individual stablecoin holdings at £20,000
- FCA proposes crypto exchanges hold 40% of trading capital as a loss buffer
- Bitcoin’s 52-week correlation with USD/JPY hit -0.90, with 81% of weekly moves tracking the exchange rate
- Strong inverse link contradicts carry-trade logic where yen strength typically hurts crypto and risk assets
- Correlation likely driven by broad dollar strength tied to Fed rate expectations, not direct asset linkage
- From July, crypto exchanges in Australia will implement the 'travel rule'.
- Exchanges will require additional information for all outgoing and incoming crypto transfers.
- The rule aims to enhance transparency and combat illicit finance in the crypto sector.
- ARK Invest bought $43.5M in crypto stocks over 3 trading days
- Coinbase and Circle shares fell 17% and 27.6% in the past month
- ARK Invest's biggest crypto stock purchases were in Coinbase and Circle
- XRP maintains $1 support with 72% surge in active addresses over two weeks
- Open interest fell to lowest since July 2025, reducing crowded long positions
- XRP spot ETFs logged eighth straight week of inflows, totaling $144.7M
- Tether's USDT stablecoin trades at 7% to 10% premium in India due to demand-supply imbalance and thin local liquidity
- Executives at CoinDCX and CoinSwitch attribute the premium to organic supply-and-demand dynamics, not exchange-set pricing or hidden fees
- Market makers and liquidity providers may have scaled back sourcing USDT overseas after India's Enforcement Directorate enforcement action
- Bitmine purchased $43M worth of Ether to join Russell 1000 Index
- Current Ether holdings now at 5.7M
- Aims to own 5% of ETH's supply
- Sovereign funds are reportedly viewing current Bitcoin prices as a discount.
- These funds see the current price levels as an attractive entry point for investment.
- MidChains CEO Basil Al Askari suggests this sends a clear signal to other institutions considering crypto investments.
- Singapore's Hyperliquid receives warning from regulator
- Indonesia introduces license for social media influencers promoting crypto
- Bybit remains on Singapore's 'naughty' list
- Trump's financial filing reports $236 million in cryptocurrency proceeds for the year.
- The filing also lists $370,000 in gifts received.
- The crypto proceeds are disclosed as a lump sum without itemized breakdown.
- The disclosure underscores Trump's exposure to digital assets amid broader regulatory focus.
- AI firms face a power crunch and see Bitcoin mining sites as ready‑made electricity sources
- Converting former mining campuses into data centers could unlock new revenue streams
- Transition is complex, with technical and regulatory hurdles to repurpose the facilities
Geopolitics 43
- US Supreme Court rules 6-3 in Trump v Barbara, preserving birthright citizenship
- Children born in the US to undocumented parents or temporary visa holders are entitled to US citizenship
- Decision upholds a defining principle of American identity
- Japan and Philippines agree to initiate negotiations on General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA)
- Two countries to strengthen energy security cooperation through Japanese support for Philippine national oil reserve system
- Philippines to join Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) with Japanese support
- Arrests of activists, dissidents, and critics reached a 7-year high in 2025, with 56 documented by Project88.
- 15 of those arrested have been sentenced, while 41 await trial or are being held without one.
- The rise of To Lam, Vietnam's former minister of public security, is linked to the intensification of repression.
- US officials are working to strip the G20 agenda of substantive issues ahead of the December summit.
- The summit is being framed as a backdrop for a potential Trump‑Xi meeting in Miami.
- Top negotiators (sherpas) met in Washington on Monday and Tuesday for the second of a planned series of drafting sessions.
- Leaders are expected to issue a Joint Declaration after the sherpas finalize the agenda.
- US officials likely to declare on Wednesday that the USMCA will not be extended
- The decision triggers a six-year review under the pact's sunset clause, starting a ten-year unwind
- The 32-year-old North American trade zone now faces renegotiation among the US, Mexico and Canada
- Potential implications for cross-border trade flows and supply-chain dynamics
- The US‑Iran memorandum lifts the naval blockade and creates a $300 bn reconstruction fund for Iran.
- Experts say Iran’s “axis of resistance” is at its weakest point since its inception, with proxies like Hezbollah and Houthis showing limited engagement.
- Tehran is pivoting to a homeland‑centric deterrence, emphasizing long‑range missiles, cheap drones and control of the Strait of Hormuz.
- Analysts expect reconstruction spending to prioritize rebuilding Iran’s missile and drone capabilities before civilian needs.
- Framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel is billed as a roadmap to end hostilities but faces criticism over accountability trade-offs
- Israeli airstrikes have continued throughout the three-month ceasefire period
- More than 1 million people have been displaced since the ceasefire began
- The ceasefire is described as fragile, with ongoing uncertainty about lasting stability
- Florida state law prohibits local governments from pursuing net-zero emissions goals
- At least 10 cities and counties had implemented such policies, but the law may not upend existing ones
- The law's impact on adjacent policies like emissions reductions and climate change reduction is unclear
- China's NPC approved a law on ethnic unity that makes it a crime for Taiwanese to refuse a Chinese identity, taking effect July 1, 2026
- Polls show about 66% of Taiwan's 23 million people identify primarily as Taiwanese, under 3% as Chinese; among 18‑34 year olds, over 80% identify as Taiwanese
- The law creates a reporting mechanism and vague "undermining ethnic unity" clause, raising risks of prosecution, travel restrictions and self‑censorship for Taiwanese citizens and businesses
- Taiwan faces high disinformation exposure, with 95% of residents affected and trust in media and politicians falling to roughly 70% and 68% respectively
- Assassination of Kem Ley in 2016 silenced a key reform advocate, accelerating Cambodia's shift to a de facto one-party state
- Regime under Hun Sen (and now Hun Manet) deepened ties with China, receiving $3.75B FDI in 2025 (73% of total) to offset Western sanctions
- Press freedom and electoral autonomy declined sharply since 2023, per RSF and V-Dem Institute, despite leadership transition
- Thousands participated in anti-migrant rallies across major cities including Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town
- Police deployed a large contingent to prevent violence and intimidation at the demonstrations
- The protests, organized by the group "March and March," continue a weeks-long campaign that has displaced thousands
- The Court ruled 6-3 to strike down limits on coordinated party spending with candidates.
- The decision removes limits that had been in place for decades under the Federal Election Campaign Act.
- Republicans hail the ruling as a win, arguing it will let them exploit lower TV ad rates.
- Democrats warn the change could increase donor influence and reshape campaign financing dynamics.
- The Nakamal Agreement makes Australia Vanuatu's primary security partner, covering policing, maritime security and disaster response
- The pact swaps a veto on foreign investment for a consultation requirement, permitting third‑party involvement in critical infrastructure
- Australia pledges hundreds of millions of dollars over the next decade for Vanuatu's infrastructure, governance and climate resilience
- The deal is part of Canberra's strategy to counter Chinese influence, joining recent security pacts with PNG, Tuvalu and Nauru
- The United States deported at least 146 Venezuelans back to Venezuela on June 27, 2026.
- The deportees arrived hours before two magnitude‑7.0 earthquakes struck on Wednesday.
- The hotel where the group was detained collapsed; officials confirm some deaths and many missing.
- Senator Steve Daines calls for de‑escalation between the US and China amid recent tensions
- Highlights China's export controls on rare‑earths affecting American firms
- Notes Pentagon's blacklist of several Chinese technology companies
- First witness hearing set for Aug 25, with follow‑up dates on Sept 22 and Oct 27
- Case involves 44 former MPs; 10 now serve in the People's Party, including leader Natthaphong
- Court accepted written objections and will consider 17 proposed witnesses; proceedings may span up to one year
- NACC alleges serious ethical misconduct over a bill to amend Section 112 of the Criminal Code
- Separate petition to suspend People's Party leader Natthaphong was rejected
- Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul will hold talks with Malaysian leaders on July 9‑10 to discuss the southern insurgency.
- Bombings were reported in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat provinces, including a second explosion in Tak Bai district, Narathiwat.
- Authorities suspect the attacks were carried out by insurgents targeting fuel stations, similar to previous incidents.
- The Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre is providing medical and compensation assistance to victims, such as an injured victim at a PT gas station in Pattani.
- Peter Kyle and China's Commerce Minister Wang Wentao convene the 15th UK‑China Joint Economic and Trade Commission in London
- A new "trade booster" initiative will be launched to support UK services firms expanding into China
- British companies including Brompton Bikes and HSBC are slated to attend the talks
- Senator Steve Daines states he did not meet Cheng Li-wun, leader of Taiwan's Kuomintang party.
- Daines says Cheng only met members of his staff, not him personally.
- Cheng's visit to Washington was part of a broader effort to strengthen ties with US policymakers.
- State Department backs possible sale of AGM-114R Hellfire missiles to Singapore
- Deal valued at $22.3 million and includes 67 missiles, spare parts and support equipment
- Lockheed Martin named as principal contractor for the sale
- At least 37 students remain missing after gunmen raided the secondary school in Lassa, Borno State
- Three people killed in the attack, including a soldier and a teacher
- Missing include 25 female students, 11 male students and one staff member
- Eight people, including the vice principal, have been freed
- Five humanitarian workers were killed and four injured in a convoy ambush in Duk County, Jonglei State.
- UN says 29 humanitarian staff have been killed in South Sudan since January.
- UNMISS reports over 760 civilian deaths from Jan‑Mar, an 89% increase versus the previous quarter.
- The convoy, run by the John Dau Foundation, was clearly marked and returning from a WFP training session.
- UN called for a prompt investigation and urged all parties to respect international humanitarian law.
- Cuban foreign minister reports no breakthroughs in US‑Cuba talks and sanctions remain unchanged
- US fuel embargo has cut oil shipments to Cuba to a single Russian tanker in March
- Cuba announced limited free‑market reforms but insists its political model is non‑negotiable
- US sanctions this month target Cuban leadership and state oil firm, while a UN debate on the embargo faces US opposition
- Uzbekistan is expected to join the WTO in 2024 and may receive Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) from the US.
- The July 2022 Karakalpakstan protests led to an unverified death toll, hundreds injured and detained, with calls for an independent investigation.
- Lawyer and activist Dauletmurat Tajimuratov was sentenced to 16 years, later extended, and is deemed arbitrarily detained by UN experts.
- US lawmakers are advised to condition PNTR on accountability measures such as publishing investigation findings and releasing political prisoners.
- FCC plans vote next month on rule to prohibit U.S. sales of devices with parts from blacklisted companies
- Measure would close loophole allowing smartphones with Huawei-designed chips to be sold in the U.S.
- Blacklist includes firms such as Huawei and its chip unit Hi‑Silicon, cited for national security risks
- If adopted, manufacturers may need to remove prohibited components from devices sold in the United States
- Trial starts July 2 in Almaty, covering three criminal code articles: false information, illegal entrepreneurship, embezzlement
- Bazhkenova has been under house arrest for seven months; police seized office equipment and raided Orda offices
- Human Rights Watch and CPJ have criticized the arrest, labeling the case politically motivated
- A new lawyer was appointed after the previous counsel's license was revoked; co‑founder Maksat Ganiyev claims financial losses
- The case raises concerns over press freedom and a potential takeover of Orda.kz
- Liaison office director Zhou Ji said deeper integration with mainland will drive Hong Kong's further development.
- Hong Kong chief executive said authorities are drafting the first five‑year plan to align with the national blueprint.
- Comments were delivered at a cultural gala marking the 29th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to Chinese sovereignty.
- INC stages protest on Edsa highway demanding end to probe of Senator Marcoleta
- Case involves Marcoleta, a member of INC, raising political stakes
- Protest echoes 1986 people power uprising against Marcos family
- State-backed 'Tongxin Cup' football league launched in Xinjiang with 14 teams, running May-August 2026
- Tournament name 'Tongxin' (同心) and pomegranate mascots reflect CCP's 'ethnic unity' policy under new 2026 law
- Football used as tool to normalize conditions amid ongoing genocide allegations against Uyghur population
- Ranking member Rep. Ro Khanna defended labeling witness Michael Lucci “racist” during a June 25 House China committee hearing.
- The hearing examined economic espionage and subnational influence, focusing on Chinese‑American citizenship concerns.
- Lucci’s April social‑media post questioned birthright citizenship for Chinese‑Americans, sparking the clash.
- The luxury yacht 'Graceful', linked to President Vladimir Putin, appeared on radar off Denmark for the first time in almost four years.
- Marinetraffic data shows the vessel sailed along Denmark's northern coast on Monday, escorted by two Russian warships.
- The yacht was alternately monitored by the Danish navy and the German coastguard during its passage.
- Defence budget set to rise to nearly £80 billion per year by 2029
- Target spending level equals about 3% of UK GDP
- Plan prioritises self‑flying fighter jets, uncrewed submarines and drones
- Prime Minister Keir Starmer unveiled the long‑delayed Defence Investment Plan before his expected departure
- Investment aims to modernise forces for technology‑driven conflict environments
- Indian Takshashila Institution warns Chinese arms firms must prioritize keeping existing defence customers
- A possible revival of Russian weapons competition could threaten China's export growth
- The study challenges the view that Chinese weaponry is uniformly low-quality and urges quality reassessment
- Former State Intelligence Service Director Tuan Suresh Sallay arrested under Prevention of Terrorism Act for suspected role in 2019 Easter Sunday attacks
- Investigation now focuses on potential collusion between intelligence officials and Islamist extremists, revisiting earlier leads
- NPP government reinvigorates probe, reappointing CID director and filing 41 cases, with 38 originating from pre-2019 investigations
- China announced export controls on dozens of Japanese companies, targeting Mitsubishi, Hitachi and Komatsu units
- Restrictions focus on dual‑use items, citing Japan's "new form of militarism"
- The move heightens trade tensions and raises compliance risks for the affected Japanese exporters
- Six years after his 2019 detention, former protester Jon received a call from a police officer.
- Authorities are quietly extending a rehabilitation pathway for selected ex‑protesters, framed as a fresh start within legal limits.
- The initiative follows the 2019 anti‑government protests and signals a low‑key shift in Hong Kong's post‑unrest policy.
- The Asia Group reports China will emerge with clear strategic benefits after the Strait of Hormuz closure
- China's sizable energy stockpiles enable it to withstand the disruption in oil shipments
- Analyst Kurt Campbell, former U.S. deputy secretary of state, highlights China's position in the conflict
- First-ever Republican midterm convention scheduled for Sept 9-10 in Dallas, Texas
- Event aims to showcase GOP achievements but risks diverting resources ahead of Nov 3 midterms
- Trump’s approval rating at 58% disapproval per Economist/YouGov poll, complicating convention narrative
- The Cockroach Janta Party has been protesting in New Delhi for nearly two weeks.
- Demonstrators demand the Education Minister resign after a leaked exam paper scandal.
- Protesters also call for broader education reforms across India.
- The movement has attracted millions of online followers, turning digital support into street rallies.
- Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-N.J.) returns to Congress after a months-long absence due to depression diagnosis
- Kean missed over 140 votes and drew increasing questions about his absence
- He is running for a third term in a competitive House district
- 44-year-old man pulled alive from rubble 6 days post-quake in Maiquetía
- International rescue teams from El Salvador and Ecuador deployed to assist
- Earthquakes caused widespread structural damage along Venezuela's coast
- Guo Wengui sentenced to 30 years in US prison for fraud scheme
- Scheme allegedly defrauded followers of over US$1 billion
- China's foreign ministry said it noted the sentence and Guo's Interpol red notice status
- The scandal dates back nearly five years to the 2019 parliamentary lie by WP MP Raeesah Khan.
- Analysts say Singapore voters are showing fatigue and want parties to focus on pressing issues.
- Both the ruling PAP and opposition WP are urged to avoid prolonging the debate.
Tech/AI 46
- Anthropic's Mythos 5 model cleared for limited use; Fable 5 and OpenAI's GPT‑5.6 remain restricted
- China's Zhipu GLM 5.2 matches top US labs on cyber benchmarks and costs about 25% per token
- Shopify, Airbnb and Coinbase adopt Chinese open‑weight models, cutting AI spend by up to 50%
- U.S. export controls on AI chips persist, though Nvidia's H200 was recently cleared for China
- Amazon Web Services (AWS) is launching a new division with an initial $1 billion investment for 'forward-deployed AI engineers'.
- The unit will embed engineers with customers for 45-day periods to accelerate the adoption of AI software.
- AWS plans to hire 'thousands' of employees for this unit, addressing a 42-fold increase in demand for such roles since 2023.
- Initial customers for the new service include the National Basketball Association and electronics company Ricoh.
- Micron shares up >240% in Q2, adding about $920 bn to market cap
- Intel stock rose 216% in the quarter, contributing $480 bn in market value
- AMD gained nearly three‑fold, adding $615 bn in market cap
- Combined, the three firms added roughly $2 trillion in market value, ranking them among the top 12 U.S. tech companies
- VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) jumped 71% in Q2, its best quarterly gain since 2000
- Congressional hearing called for accelerated US innovation to keep pace with China’s tech expansion.
- Lawmakers accused the Trump administration of policies that undermine U.S. national interests in technology.
- The hearing highlighted competition over standards, economic models, and supply-chain dominance.
- Discussion follows a recent US‑China summit that underscored growing tech rivalry.
- The United States marks its 250th anniversary amid growing AI competition from China
- Chinese firms are accelerating AI development to lead key sectors of the next industrial revolution
- Analysts say China's strategy could reshape global tech supply chains and erode US dominance
- Both nations are boosting public and private AI funding, heightening geopolitical tensions
- Beijing plans to spend 2 trillion yuan ($295 bn) on AI data center build‑out over the next five years
- At least 80% of hardware and software, including AI chips, will be sourced from Chinese vendors
- Data‑center operators GDS Holdings and Vnet Group are positioned to benefit, with bookings of 200 MW and >500 MW respectively
- Chinese AI firm Zhipu recently surpassed HK$1 trillion ($128 bn) market cap, reflecting rapid sector growth
- Recent profit‑taking saw South Korea’s Kospi drop 8%, highlighting volatility in Asian tech markets
- South Korean government unveiled a $518 billion semiconductor initiative aimed at AI-driven memory chip demand
- Plan includes building a second major chip fab in the southwest to diversify production from Seoul
- Goal is to secure advanced memory supplies for AI data centres and keep pace with China's semiconductor expansion
- Government pledges 800 trillion won (~$520 bn) for new semiconductor fabs
- Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix will expand chipmaking capacity to meet AI demand
- President Lee Jae‑Myung calls the plan a decisive moment for national AI competitiveness
- Project aims to keep South Korea competitive in the global AI and semiconductor race
- Google DeepMind introduces Nano Banana 2 Lite, a Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image model.
- Claims speed advantage, generating images in a fraction of the time of larger Gemini models.
- Elo scores show output quality nearly matches non‑Lite versions, though text and infographic accuracy can lag.
- Targeted at rapid‑fire prototyping where speed outweighs perfect quality.
- Anthropic introduced Claude Science, an AI workbench that uses existing Claude models (e.g., Claude Opus 4.8) for scientific tasks
- The platform connects to over 60 scientific databases and includes toolkits for genomics, protein structure, chemistry, plus a fact‑checking AI
- Early users (Allen Institute, UCSF) report major speed gains, such as glioma germline analysis completed in a fraction of prior time
- Claude Science is in beta for Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise subscriptions; Anthropic will fund up to 50 projects with up to $30,000 each in credits
- Competing approaches include OpenAI's GPT‑Rosalind (enterprise‑gated) and DeepMind's Gemini for Science (proprietary models)
- The New Glenn rocket exploded on May 28, 2024 during a test of its first-stage aft section, damaging the launchpad and equipment.
- CEO Dave Limp says the root‑cause investigation is ongoing, using data from multiple cameras and sensors.
- Blue Origin will replace the damaged transporter‑erector with a massive crane to stand the rocket, aiming to restore launch capability.
- The company had planned up to 12 New Glenn launches in 2025 before the incident and is working to resume flights this year.
- Nasdaq will publish its TotalView full depth-of-book equity data on the Pyth Data Marketplace
- Data will be accessed through a programmable blockchain interface instead of traditional terminals
- Nasdaq joins other Pyth contributors like Tradeweb, SGX and the U.S. Department of Commerce
- EDTH (Saha Group) signs MOU with TrueBusiness, EGG Digital and SoftBank to develop AI-driven business solutions
- Collaboration will create a common digital platform to streamline AI adoption across Saha Group's diverse businesses
- Goal is to boost operational efficiency, customer engagement and supply‑chain management through AI and big‑data analytics
- Partnership reflects a broader trend of Thai conglomerates embedding AI into core operations
- Bill would give the Commerce Department authority to block AI-related transactions from foreign adversary nations (Russia, China, Iran, North Korea)
- Sponsored by Senators Tim Scott, chair of the Senate Banking Committee, and Bill Hagerty, co‑author of the GENIUS Act
- Legislation seeks to protect domestic AI supply chains while maintaining public access to open‑source AI software
- Hong Kong and mainland China will start sharing cross-border data before the end of 2024
- The move is intended to spur more companies to operate in the Hetao innovation hub
- Tech minister Sun Dong framed data sharing as a key step in deepening integration since Hong Kong's 1997 handover
- Anthropic announces internal AI drug discovery effort focused on neglected diseases
- Program will develop Claude Science tools and partner with pharma firms for feedback loops
- Moves the company into the same healthcare AI space as Alphabet, Apple and Amazon
- NASA is evaluating the launch of the full-scale Perseverance engineering model, nicknamed "Promise", to the lunar surface.
- The rover would be equipped with a multi‑mission radioisotope thermoelectric generator (MMRTG) for night‑time power.
- The plan aims to accelerate exploration of the Moon's south‑pole region, though the rover was not originally slated for launch.
- CrowdStrike shares jumped 95% and Palo Alto Networks rose 113% from April to June, their best quarters on record
- Palo Alto reported over 1,200 customer inquiries and 800 meetings in six weeks following the Mythos AI model launch
- CrowdStrike's Falcon Shield platform ended the fiscal Q1 with four‑times annual recurring revenue growth
- Both firms recently completed major deals: Palo Alto closed a $25 billion CyberArk acquisition, CrowdStrike invested in SGNL
- Apple asks the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a contempt finding related to its App Store fees.
- The contempt ruling stems from Apple charging a 27% commission for developer links to external payment methods, allegedly violating a court order.
- Epic Games originally challenged Apple's standard 30% commission as excessive for developers.
- A reversal could let Apple keep higher fees; a denial may force lower commissions and broader payment options.
- Data layer (cleaned, formatted data) seen as key growth driver for AI consumption
- Snowflake reported 33% YoY revenue growth; trades at ~112x forward earnings and >14x EV/sales
- Datadog posted 25% YoY revenue growth; trades at ~98x forward earnings and ~19x EV/sales
- Analyst cites companies like MongoDB, Elastic and emerging model routers as potential winners
- Study demonstrates a website can lure AI browsers into a false reality where safeguards fail
- Attackers could extract code from private repositories or steal credentials from built-in password managers
- Current guardrails are reactive, treating symptoms rather than fixing underlying vulnerabilities
- NASA selected three firms for Artemis moonbase lander missions
- Firefly Aerospace and Intuitive Machines each received a $144 million contract for one additional lander
- Astrobotic secured a $280 million contract covering two lunar lander missions
- Acti introduced an AI-driven keyboard for iOS and Android that can execute actions across apps
- The keyboard runs on Google Gemini models and lets users create "Skills" for multistep tasks
- Early testers built over 1,000 Skills in two weeks; built‑in shortcuts include translation and meeting‑link generation
- Acti secured $5.3 million in seed funding, led by BITKRAFT Ventures, to develop subscription tiers
- The app uses a local‑first model, keeping user context on the device unless explicitly shared
- Live Chats now support automatic translations for global users
- Hosts can add up to three co‑hosts and delete messages for all participants
- Access to start Live Chats is extended to all “Community Champions”
- Chats can host up to 150 active participants, with additional spectators allowed
- Desktop support and pinned messages are slated for future rollout
- Tesla begins testing production version of Cybercab without pedals or steering wheel in Austin, Texas
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration proposes rule change to exempt autonomous vehicles from brake pedal requirement
- Tesla aims to outcompete Waymo with in-house car and software development, simpler sensor suite
- X introduced a hosted Model Context Protocol (MCP) server, allowing AI tools like Claude and Cursor to connect directly to its API.
- The new server eliminates the need for developers to build and host their own MCP servers, streamlining integration.
- MCP is an open standard facilitating AI model connections to external services; X joins companies like GitHub and Slack in offering official MCP servers.
- The tool provides read-only access to X's data and does not enable autonomous posting, addressing concerns about increased spam.
- X aims to position itself as a real-time information network for AI analysis, leveraging its existing API capabilities.
- Arcturus' nano-infused metals can reduce electrical losses by 50%
- This could unlock 3% more electricity on average and up to 10% during congested times
- The company has raised $8 million in a seed round to develop and test its materials
- AWS launches $1B internal org for AI-focused forward-deployed engineers (FDE) to embed with clients
- FDE model aims to accelerate AI adoption by providing tailored deployments and internal expertise transfer
- Amazon joins OpenAI ($4B) and Anthropic ($1.5B) in launching FDE ventures, signaling AI deployment arms race
- Japan's government will grant up to 148 billion yen ($912 million) to Rakuten Group for a satellite communications network.
- Rakuten is in talks with US-based AST SpaceMobile to form a joint venture for the project.
- Japan aims to foster domestic operators to enhance economic security, reducing reliance on foreign services like SpaceX's Starlink.
- The low-orbit satellite network will enable smartphone use in areas without cellular coverage or during natural disasters.
- TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 will gather over 10,000 innovators, founders, and investors in San Francisco.
- Side Events can be hosted from October 10-16, 2026, offering direct engagement and brand exposure.
- Evening events on October 13-15 are highly encouraged for maximum audience engagement.
- Proposals for Side Events must be submitted by September 4, with no cost to apply or participate.
- Nvidia recruiting for 12+ roles in China robotics team
- Roles span embodied intelligence, simulation, implementation, and solutions
- Expansion aims to build leading robotics platform
- Industry focus has centered on software models like ChatGPT, Gemini, DeepSeek
- Governments and investors are allocating billions to AI strategies and startups
- Experts argue the decisive factor will be the underlying hardware, not algorithms
- Hardware constraints could shape AI capabilities and adoption across sectors
- ASEAN countries aim to deepen supply‑chain integration with the Greater Bay Area (GBA).
- Artificial intelligence and green technology are highlighted as priority cooperation areas.
- Panelists stress the need for open data flows and shared digital standards.
- Hong Kong is expected to benefit from closer ties and increased tech collaboration.
- AI-driven price surge moves from GPUs and memory chips to upstream components such as power chips, capacitors and copper‑clad materials
- Suppliers of these previously low‑visibility parts are gaining pricing leverage as AI data‑centre builders compete for limited capacity
- New bottlenecks in upstream supplies could slow the rollout of global AI infrastructure projects
- Taiwanese authorities have stepped up a probe into the illegal diversion of AI servers built by Super Micro Computer.
- The investigation targets the alleged smuggling of Nvidia chips to mainland China.
- The case highlights growing concerns over technology export controls and Taiwan-China tensions.
- Firmus will construct a 350‑megawatt AI‑focused data centre in Batam, Indonesia
- The project will use Nvidia chips to power cloud services for AI‑native customers
- Partnership aims to expand AI infrastructure and cloud computing capacity in Southeast Asia
- Government earmarks ¥150 billion (~$926 million) for satellite communications subsidy
- Funding backs a Rakuten Group-led consortium to build a domestic low‑Earth‑orbit network
- Project aims to create Japan's answer to SpaceX's Starlink for mobile connectivity
- Subsidy announced by Nikkei as part of push for homegrown satellite infrastructure
- Application deadline is July 6, six days away
- Eight startups will pitch live on August 19 in Sydney
- Top three winners receive up to $15,000 in Stripe fee credits
- Grand winner earns automatic entry to Startup Battlefield 200 in San Francisco this October
- Previous Australian events helped raise over $85 million for participating startups
- WhatsApp will let users reserve usernames now, with full rollout later in 2026
- Usernames replace phone numbers for private chatting and group participation
- Feature aims to enhance privacy while maintaining ease of contact
- Reserve your username in advance before the official launch
- OpenClaw is now offered as native apps for both iOS and Android platforms.
- The mobile apps pair with the OpenClaw Gateway to route user requests to AI agents and their tools.
- Users can run custom OpenClaw agents on their phones for tasks such as coding, meal planning, and more.
- OpenClaw's creator, Peter Steinberger, joined OpenAI earlier this year, following the earlier MoltBook viral stunt.
- Communicator priced at $499 with shipping planned for Q4 2024
- Features a physical QWERTY keyboard, 3.5 mm headphone jack, and up to 2 TB expandable storage
- Adds a customizable "Signal Light" notification indicator and swappable back covers
- Supports both physical SIM and eSIM, runs Android via Niagara Launcher
- Beaver Island chosen as pilot site for hydrokinetic wave energy in Lake Michigan.
- University of Michigan researchers installed prototype wave-energy devices earlier this month.
- Project aims to supply reliable power to the remote island and advance wave-energy technology for broader applications.
- Trump established the National Design Studio (NDS) by executive order in August 2025
- NDS is charged with updating the US Web Design System and revamping 27,000 .gov sites within three years
- Cuts to 18F and the US Digital Service have slowed progress, resulting in AI‑generated design problems
- Riverside, a video and podcast recording tool, has introduced a new feature allowing users to publish newsletters directly from its platform.
- The new tool leverages AI to convert existing video and podcast content into newsletter-ready text, aiming to simplify content repurposing.
- The update also includes multi-camera recording support, remote guest integration, and AI features for drafting, social media content generation, and video enhancement.
- Riverside's move into newsletters follows a trend of content platforms diversifying, with competitors like Substack and Beehiiv also expanding into new formats.
- Companies are accelerating R&D on cooling solutions ahead of Japan's extreme summer heat
- Innovations such as air showers and radiant cooling are being showcased at a domestic tech expo
- New products aim to supplement traditional air‑conditioning and reduce heatstroke risk
- SolaNika will start trials of laser power-beaming for drones in 2024
- The technology aims to enable drone flight times exceeding 12 hours
- Laser wireless power could shrink batteries and extend UAV range
Companies 53
- Comcast will separate its cable and broadband business into a standalone company distinct from NBCUniversal
- Management says the split should unlock value for shareholders of both entities
- Past media spinoffs have produced mixed outcomes, with some gaining modestly while others lagged
- Analysts remain cautious, citing valuation uncertainty and execution risk post‑spinoff
- UK government signals possible intervention in Paramount‑Skydance's $110 bn acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery
- Deal could be referred to the Competition and Markets Authority, recalling its 2023 block of Microsoft‑Activision
- Regulatory hurdle adds uncertainty despite approval from US and Chinese authorities
- Potential delay could affect the largest media‑industry merger of the year
- Supreme Court granted review of Apple’s appeal over a contempt ruling in the Epic Games lawsuit
- Lower court found Apple in contempt for imposing a 27% commission on third‑party payments, above the typical 15‑30% range
- Outcome could affect Apple’s App Store fee structure worldwide, with regulators closely monitoring the case
- Adjusted EPS 20¢ vs. 13¢ expected
- Revenue $10.97 bn vs. $10.86 bn estimate, down 1% YoY
- Greater China sales fell 12% to $1.30 bn, beating $1.24 bn estimate
- Tariff refund of ~$986 m added 52¢ to EPS
- Shares fell up to 8% in after‑hours trading before recovering
- Alcoa announced acquisition of South32's aluminum assets for $4.1 bn
- Deal will increase Alcoa's primary aluminum production capacity
- Transaction expected to close in 2025, subject to regulatory approvals
- Financing to be provided via cash on hand and existing credit facilities
- Dish's DBS and wireless subsidiaries have entered a prepackaged Chapter 11 filing.
- The restructuring aims to reduce debt while keeping core operations running.
- Filing follows continued financial pressure on the company’s balance sheet.
- Northrop Grumman secured $68 million of new defense contracts
- The contracts add to the company's order backlog and revenue outlook
- Analysts view the win as a positive catalyst for upcoming earnings
- Microsoft to cut under 2.5% of workforce
- Thousands of roles impacted, including sales and consulting
- Xbox gaming division also affected
- ITG priced its IPO at $16 per share, below the $19‑$22 target range
- The offering sold 19.5 million shares, generating roughly $312 million
- Trading will begin on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol "ITG"
- Demand is driven by broadband expansion and AI data‑center investments
- Unplanned IT outage halted final commercial jet inspections and paperwork, grounding production.
- Some aircraft deliveries were completed on the quarter's last day despite the disruption.
- Boeing says cause is known, not a cyberattack, and IT team is working to restore systems.
- MicroStrategy announced share buybacks for its MSTR and STRC securities
- The firm expanded cash reserves to strengthen liquidity
- Management signaled willingness to sell a portion of its Bitcoin holdings if needed
- Athene named former Goldman Sachs Ayco MD Larik Hall as head of Japan
- Athene has reinsured $20 billion in Japan across eight transactions since 2020
- The insurer is seeking to buy a Japanese life insurer to write business directly
- Burry opened a short position in Caterpillar at $1,060.98, his first ever short on the stock.
- Caterpillar shares rose 86% in H1 2026, making it one of the S&P 500’s top performers.
- The company’s price‑to‑sales ratio hit a three‑decade high, prompting valuation concerns.
- Burry also shorted Nvidia, Applied Materials, Tesla and the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX), citing overvalued semiconductor sector.
- The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index trades about 65% above its 200‑day moving average, a level last seen in 2000.
- Wolfe Research raises Fox's rating to "Buy" from "Neutral"
- Analysts cite the Roku merger as a catalyst for higher streaming revenue
- Target price lifted, indicating upside potential for Fox shares
- KKR agrees to acquire EDF Power Solutions' North American operations for $4.2 billion.
- The assets include solar, wind and battery storage projects across the United States and Canada.
- EDF Power Solutions ranks among the top‑10 renewable capacity owners in the U.S.
- Kura Sushi aims to grow its U.S. restaurant footprint by 20% each year.
- The expansion target comes amid heightened competition in the U.S. sushi market.
- Management expects the growth strategy to boost same‑store sales and market share.
- Lockheed Martin secured a $3 billion contract to develop advanced radar systems
- The deal, awarded by the U.S. Department of Defense, spans multiple years
- Contract adds to Lockheed's defense backlog and may boost FY2025 revenue outlook
- Former DeepMind researchers founded EquiLibre, now valued at $500 million after Series A led by Creandum
- EquiLibre trades billions daily in S&P 500 and Nasdaq via partnership with Tower Research Capital
- Startup reports zero negative months since inception and plans a large compute cluster in Central/Eastern Europe
- Earlier seed round raised $10 million at a $140 million valuation; Series A is the VC’s largest single investment
- Competitors such as Jane Street already use reinforcement learning with extensive GPU resources, posing a risk
- FDA cleared 20 Zyn nicotine pouch products to carry a modified‑risk claim
- Claim states switching from cigarettes to Zyn reduces risk of mouth cancer, heart disease, lung cancer, stroke, emphysema and chronic bronchitis
- Zyn pouches contain nicotine but no tobacco, sold in 3 mg and 6 mg strengths across ten flavors
- Regulatory win comes as the Trump administration eases restrictions on nicotine alternatives
- Heavy AI adopters grew overall headcount ~10% versus no significant change for low‑intensity adopters
- Entry‑level hiring rose ~12% at firms with the highest AI spending
- Analysis covered 21,500 U.S. companies (2021‑early 2026) linking AI vendor spend to workforce data
- AI investment concentrated in knowledge‑intensive sectors such as information, finance and professional services
- Researchers stress correlation not causation; adopters were already larger, faster‑growing firms
- Guardian Metal Resources (GMTL/GMET) aims to start pilot mountain tungsten project construction by August 2025
- The Nevada tungsten project is valued at $660 million
- Company plans to bypass a full feasibility study, moving directly to a prefeasibility phase
- Accelerated timeline could boost the project's development and potential revenue
- Shares jumped nearly 19% after the company posted Q4 revenue of $642 million, beating expectations
- Revenue grew over 100% year‑over‑year and the funded backlog rose 65% to $1.2 billion
- DoD is projecting a record $75 billion drone budget for 2027, boosting growth outlook
- Other drone makers rallied, with Kratos up 6% and Unusual Machines up 16%
- Webull Holdings (Singapore) to buy Pi Securities for an estimated 2.865 billion baht.
- Country Group Holdings will dispose 1.58 billion shares (90.98% of Pi) and 885,666 shares (55.99% of Trader Co Ltd).
- Shareholder approval is required at an extraordinary general meeting on July 14.
- Webull seeks Pi's talent and client base, not its licence; Pi is a leading Thai equities and futures broker.
- Webull's group serves 28 million users and manages over 970 billion baht in assets across 16 markets.
- TikTok reached a principle settlement with a 15‑year‑old Florida plaintiff; terms not yet disclosed
- The case is the second California state‑court trial over social‑media addiction claims; Meta and Snap face trial on July 27
- More than 3,300 similar lawsuits are pending in California state court and 2,600 in federal court against major platforms
- YouTube settled its own case in June; prior jury verdicts ordered Meta $4.2 million and Google $1.8 million in damages
- Jana Partners began building the Everpure position in Q1 2026 and requested confidential treatment to delay 13‑F disclosure.
- At the end of Q1, Jana owned over 1 million Everpure shares, though the exact stake size remains undisclosed.
- Everpure, valued at $23 billion, has seen its stock rise 2.35% year‑to‑date and recently beat Q1 earnings estimates.
- The company rebranded from Pure Storage in early 2026 to focus on AI‑driven data management.
- Realta Fusion powered a lightbulb on June 19 by harvesting electricity directly from its WHAM fusion device
- Company claims direct conversion efficiency of about 90%, compared with roughly 33% for conventional steam turbines
- Direct conversion could raise commercial plant output by 20%‑30%, improving profitability
- Realta previously raised $36 million in a Series A (2025) and is currently pursuing a new funding round
- Oppenheimer cuts Goldman Sachs (GS) to a sell-equivalent rating, citing limited upside in bank valuations.
- Piper Sandler upgrades Capital One (COF) to outperform with a $254 price target, valuing the stock at 8x forward earnings.
- S&P 500 gained ~15% and Nasdaq ~21% in Q2, while the energy sector fell as oil prices retreated from Iran‑war peaks.
- Jim Cramer argues Goldman could climb to $1,200, a >17% rise from the latest close, and remains bullish on its deal flow.
- DOJ and 17 states reached a $3.3 million settlement with Cal‑Maine, Versova and Hickman's Egg Ranch over alleged egg‑price collusion
- The companies will donate roughly 53 million eggs, valued at about $9.7 million, to food banks and nonprofits
- Settlements: Cal‑Maine $1.5 million, Hickman's $1 million, Versova $800,000; firms must adopt antitrust compliance programs
- Egg prices had spiked 150 % YoY in February 2023, the largest annual increase on record
- Price quotes dropped sharply after the investigation became known in March 2025
- Etched raised a total of $800 million, including a $500 million round that valued the company at $5 billion
- The company has booked $1 billion in contract orders for its AI inference systems
- TSMC began manufacturing Etched's chips and the startup is testing its first product with customers
- Investors include Jane Street, Two Sigma, Hudson River Trading and billionaires Stanley Druckenmiller and Peter Thiel
- BMO Capital Markets and Red Cloud Securities issue buy/overweight recommendations on Koryx Copper
- Positive assay results from the Namibia project underpin the analyst upgrades
- Analysts cite Koryx as one of Africa's most attractive copper development stories
- Castelion, a hypersonic missile startup, raised over $550m to build a 1,000-acre manufacturing campus in New Mexico
- Company targets 500+ missiles/year under firm-fixed-price contracts, shifting cost risk from government to contractor
- New Mexico site chosen for land availability, defense talent pool (Sandia/Los Alamos), and minimal red tape
- Nasdaq-listed Solana Company entered a memorandum of understanding with Alatau City in Kazakhstan.
- Alatau City aims to become a Central Asian crypto hub with a $6 billion investment target.
- The partnership will focus on building digital‑asset infrastructure and ecosystem support.
- The initiative positions Kazakhstan as a potential regional crypto‑finance center.
- MSTR stock down ~41% in June, on track for its 11th losing month in the past 12.
- Bitcoin has fallen about 20% in June, heading for a third straight negative quarter.
- MSTR traded near $80 before rallying 12% after announcing a new capital management framework.
- Wontech Asia's Thailand unit recorded over 1 billion baht in cumulative sales within two years of entry
- Company commands roughly 40% of Thailand's RF skin‑tightening market with more than 1,500 Oligio devices installed
- Thailand's medical aesthetics market is forecast to reach 75 billion baht by 2025, growing at 2.7% after 4% growth the prior year
- Wontech partners with over 1,000 Thai clinics and aims to use Thailand as a hub for neighboring Southeast Asian markets
- The strategic advantage of combining content and distribution has eroded as streaming dominates.
- Analysts argue Comcast should complete its breakup rather than pursue additional acquisitions.
- New M&A activity is seen as unlikely to improve shareholder value in the current media landscape.
- Ionic Digital, a Celsius-linked Bitcoin miner, seeks Nasdaq direct listing
- Repurposing mining infrastructure for AI and high-performance computing workloads
- No specific timeline or details on the direct listing process
- JPMorgan to invest in defense and vital industries using its own funds
- Expansion plans include broadening in the national-security sector
- Jamie Dimon aims to leverage bank's resources in strategic sectors
- S&P 500 net profit margins exceed historical averages across multiple sectors
- Corporate resilience offsets concerns over elevated stock price valuations
- Vingroup and partners signed a deal on June 17 in Manila to launch solar‑aquaculture projects.
- Solar panels will be mounted on stilts above water to generate clean power while supporting fish farming.
- The initiative expands Vingroup's renewable energy footprint into the Philippines.
- Honda aims to issue euro‑denominated bonds exceeding ¥400 billion (~$2.5 bn).
- Proceeds will be used to compensate parts makers after revising its EV strategy.
- Funding will also support investments in hybrid‑vehicle development.
- The bond issue targets European investors, expanding Honda's financing sources.
- Aveanna Healthcare Holdings submitted a Form 144 notice on June 30
- Form 144 indicates insiders plan to sell company shares
- Filing is routine and does not suggest immediate market impact
- IVEST Consumer Partners and Cloverlay agree to sell the Care Bears brand to Authentic Brands Group.
- The sale follows licensing and royalty agreements put in place after the firms bought the brand in 2023.
- Deal underscores private-equity firms' strategy of exiting consumer‑brand investments; financial terms were not disclosed.
- Reddit will require users to be logged in to use old.reddit.com
- The login requirement will be implemented over the next month
- Change is intended to tighten automated system access on the platform
- A judge approved the amended complaint on Tuesday
- The lawsuit claims Kalshi marketed sports betting to users under 21 through social media and university campuses
- The action follows a prior court ruling that prompted the amendment
- Director Booth sold KYMR stock valued at $3.42 million
- The transaction was disclosed in a recent SEC filing
- Insider sell‑off may pressure KYMR's share price
- Amazon will no longer release Fire Stick devices that allow sideloading of apps from outside its Appstore.
- The decision follows concerns that sideloaded apps are linked to piracy and malware infections.
- New Fire Sticks run Amazon's proprietary Vega OS, which does not support sideloading, unlike the older Fire OS Android‑based models.
- Google discontinued the Tenor GIF API on June 30, 2026.
- The API had been wound down since January and stopped accepting new integrations.
- Tenor, bought by Google in 2018, will now only serve Google products, affecting X (Twitter) and Discord.
- Google said the free GIF service lacked a viable monetization path.
- American Airlines will open a 3,700‑sq‑ft grab-and-go lounge at JFK by year‑end.
- The lounge, named Provisions, will include a barista bar and hot/cold food for quick service.
- It marks the airline's first new facility at JFK in over four years, following similar lounges in Charlotte and Denver.
- Targeted at credit‑card holders and high‑spending travelers, it complements existing high‑end lounges and the Admirals Club.
- The G17 Eco ESG platform, backed by the British Business Bank, is being sold after administrators were appointed.
- The platform was previously valued at over £90 million in an equity funding round.
- The sale reflects a broader pullback by blue‑chip firms from sustainability commitments as spending slows.
- SpaceX in talks with US officials to donate stock to Trump Accounts
- 6 million children signed up for Trump Accounts, launching July 4th
- Unclear if donation will be made and its impact on account value
- Substack appoints Oki Ito, former ByteDance executive, as head of partnerships for Japan.
- The hire is part of Substack's strategy to grow its creator base in the Japanese market.
- Substack plans to leverage its global network to give Japanese writers access to international audiences.
- U.S. and European private‑equity firms are opening new offices in Tokyo
- Targeting unprofitable spin‑offs from large Japanese corporations
- Focusing on smaller, non‑blockbuster deals to differentiate from major PE players
- Usebowl opened its first overseas store in Kuala Lumpur in June
- Chains aim to launch dozens of new stores in Southeast Asian cities such as Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok
- Expansion highlights "Used in Japan" branding and strict quality control to stand out from local competitors
Thai Markets 9
- Thailand's manufacturing production index dropped 0.8% YoY in May, missing a Reuters poll forecast of a 0.34% decrease.
- Declining automotive production, down 17.94% YoY in May, was a significant factor weighing on output.
- Elevated inflation and geopolitical conflicts affecting energy costs and raw material procurement contributed to higher manufacturing costs.
- Government stimulus measures and stronger exports provided some support to the output.
- The Industry Ministry forecasts factory output to rise 1.0% to 2.0% for the full year.
- Aerothai to extend reduced air navigation charges for an additional two months (July-August).
- Domestic airlines will keep a 30% discount on navigation fees under the extension.
- Airlines may defer payments: 50% by due date, remaining balance payable 30 days later.
- Dubai crude oil price fell to $79.21 per barrel as of June 30, below the $91 forecast.
- Phuket hotel occupancy fell to 30-40% in June, the lowest in 6-7 years
- Low-season room rates cut by 70-80%, versus typical 50% discount
- Domestic airfare to Phuket averages ~5,000 baht per round-trip, deterring visitors
- European heatwave records hit 41.9°C (Czech), 41.7°C (Germany), 40.5°C (Poland)
- Hotel operators seek government relief, including soft loans and travel subsidies
- Cabinet extends reduced transfer and mortgage registration fees to 0.01% until June 30, 2027
- Fee cuts apply to Thai buyers for properties up to 7 million baht, covering residential and commercial units
- Finance Ministry expects the measure to support 540 billion baht in annual transactions and add ~305 billion baht in investment each year
- Estimated cost to government about 9 billion baht per year; critics argue targeted aid for first‑time buyers would be more efficient
- The 224.5‑billion‑baht high‑speed rail linking three airports requires concession amendment approval within two months.
- Lenders have withdrawn confidence after COVID‑19, leaving financing uncertain for the PPP.
- If the EEC board rejects the amendments, the concession could be terminated and the project may be halted.
- SRT and the consortium will submit two options to the EEC Policy Committee by July, with a recommendation due in about two months.
- NBTC board unanimously approved in principle the third Digital TV Master Plan on June 22
- 83.7% of Thais still watch TV; internet-based viewing rose to 46.7% and 88% of 2024 TV sales were smart TVs
- Broadcasters' licences expire in 2029, driving the push for a national streaming solution
- The platform will offer free access to all free-to-air channels and reduce reliance on global digital platforms and telecom operators
- Average net leverage of Thailand's 10 largest bond issuers was 3.7x in 2025, versus 2x for Fitch‑rated firms regionally
- Leverage among large issuers ranged from 4.1x to 15x; PTT Plc had the lowest at 1.8x
- High leverage and reliance on the domestic bond market increase refinancing risk if market conditions tighten
- Asia‑Pacific accounted for 29% of global ESG bond issuance in 2025, showing resilience despite geopolitical headwinds
- Thailand's PTT in talks with U.S. LNG developers for long-term supply
- PTT seeks to avoid costly spot LNG purchases during crises
- Potential investment in Louisiana LNG export plant
- USD/THB rebounded to ~33.28, meeting interim resistance around 33.40
- Bank of Thailand attributes THB weakness to broad USD strength and equity outflows
- Key support levels at 33.20 and 33.00; 61.8% fib retracement resistance at 33.41
- Recovery likely shallow unless USD momentum eases, oil stays contained, and gold stabilises
Other 40
- Court ruled children born in the U.S. to non‑citizen parents are citizens under the 14th Amendment.
- Decision overturns President Trump's Jan. 2025 order that aimed to deny citizenship to babies of undocumented immigrants.
- Ruling issued by a 5‑justice majority (Roberts, Barrett, Kagan, Sotomayor, Jackson) with dissent from three conservatives.
- Government scientists warn indoor stay as temperatures could hit triple digits in many U.S. regions.
- Trump's energy secretary calls global warming "no big deal," drawing criticism amid the heat emergency.
- The extreme heat underscores rising climate risks despite political dismissal of warming concerns.
- Twin earthquakes in Venezuela caused building collapses, prompting ongoing rescue efforts.
- Rescue teams have recovered additional bodies, with the death toll continuing to rise.
- Thousands of people remain missing as search operations continue.
- Bipartisan committee held hearing titled "Field of Fees" to review private equity's impact on youth sports.
- Private equity deals include KKR's $4.75 billion acquisition of Varsity Brands (2024) and BPEA EQT's $1.25 billion purchase of IMG Academy (2023).
- Aspen Institute estimates U.S. youth sports market at $40 billion, raising concerns over rising participation costs.
- Lawmakers urged greater fee transparency, antitrust enforcement, and public investment to keep sports affordable.
- Road transport currently linked to over 41,800 premature deaths in the US due to air pollution.
- Full electrification by 2040 could prevent more than 100,000 premature deaths.
- Study highlights health benefits of EV adoption beyond climate mitigation.
- England topped Group L with 7 points; DR Congo advanced as best third-placed team with 4 points
- Opta gives England a 73.9% chance to win in regulation, DR Congo 11.3%, extra time 14.8%
- Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham have combined 5 goals for England; Yoane Wissa scored twice for DR Congo in group stage
- England may miss right-back Reece James (hamstring) and could start Djed Spence; DR Congo reports no injuries
- Winner will face Ecuador or Mexico in the round of 16
- Pierre Yared, acting CEA chairman since September, announced his exit.
- He will return to Columbia Business School as a professor of International Business.
- No immediate successor named; CEA website still lists Yared as acting chair.
- Aaron Hedlund, a Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis research fellow, remains a CEA member.
- More than 1.8 million illicit steroid products seized, valued at about 50 million baht
- Confiscated items include 1.3 million unlabelled tablets, 405,094 fake labels and 79 pieces of equipment
- Raid conducted by PM’s Office, Public Health Ministry, FDA and consumer protection agencies in Suan Luang
- Authorities will tighten online commerce checks and consumer protection enforcement
- A patient at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow is being tested for Ebola.
- Public Health Scotland reports no confirmed Ebola cases in the UK.
- Risk to the public is assessed as low despite rising cases in central Africa.
- UK health authorities say safety protocols are in place to contain any potential spread.
- Four-story apartment building collapsed in Athens on Tuesday
- Four people rescued from the debris so far
- Authorities are investigating the cause of the collapse
- Federal student loan rates are set annually based on the 10‑year Treasury yield and apply uniformly to all borrowers.
- Private student loan APRs typically range from about 4.0% to 16.0%, with rates below 8% considered low‑interest.
- Lenders such as Sallie Mae and Ascent offer discounts of up to 1% for autopay and may waive origination fees.
- Temperatures in Leipzig rose to 41°C (106°F), the highest recorded this summer.
- Extreme heat caused a tramway track to melt, halting service on several lines.
- The heatwave is affecting multiple European cities, prompting broader transport challenges.
- Ebola cases keep rising, putting pressure on DR Congo's health system
- More patients are now seeking care at treatment centres, according to local workers
- Healthcare workers say conditions have improved compared with the outbreak's start
- French President Emmanuel Macron cautioned against reopening death‑penalty discussions
- He said he was appalled by the rising number of executions worldwide
- Comments were delivered at the 9th World Congress Against the Death Penalty in Paris
- Macron stressed the need for continued opposition to capital punishment
- Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appointed nine new members to the FDA's peptide advisory panel, raising total to 13
- The new advisors are largely promoters of injectable peptide drugs and have ties to wellness clinics
- FDA scientists warned in 2023 that the dozen peptide drugs lack proven benefits and may pose safety risks
- Kennedy vows to reverse the FDA's restrictions on the unproven peptide treatments
- Roof collapse occurred at a tutoring centre under construction in Lahore
- At least 14 schoolchildren were killed, with eight others injured
- Police arrested the centre's owner and another individual
- Rescue teams continue searching the rubble for additional victims
- Effective July 1, graduate students face a $20,500 annual loan cap; professional students can borrow up to $50,000 per year.
- A federal judge halted the Education Department's narrowed definition, expanding the list to over 20 professional degrees eligible for the higher cap.
- Higher caps allow professional students a total borrowing limit of $200,000, while other graduate students remain capped at $100,000 overall.
- Ponzi schemes continue to deceive investors worldwide
- Warning signs often ignored or overlooked
- Investors should remain vigilant and cautious
- 15 private sports clubs face lease renewals at year‑end.
- Clubs must pay one‑third of land premium, amounting to tens‑to‑hundreds of millions of HKD.
- Premium payment requirement follows a policy first announced in 2019.
- Alternatively, clubs can open facilities to the public instead of paying the premium.
- Positive shift rating reached 78.9%, up 0.5 percentage points year‑over‑year
- Workers reporting unhappiness dropped to 5.9%, the lowest in the survey’s four‑year history
- Hospitality (82.98%) and retail (82.62%) posted the highest sector positivity; healthcare lagged at 72.89%
- Rhode Island casino workers recorded a 100% positive rating; Alaska (95.35%) and Hawaii (92.89%) were the top states
- Generation Alpha showed the highest positivity at 88.88%, with Gen Z at 78.42%
- Party membership reached 101 million members at the end of 2025
- Membership grew by 1% year‑on‑year, the slowest pace in recent years
- Average age of members continued to increase, signaling an aging cadre
- Hong Kong expected to see its highest annual temperatures on record for 2024 and 2025
- The Observatory says a developing El Nino could become the strongest on record
- Sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific are projected to rise further this summer
- Officials warn of heightened heat‑related risks for the city’s population and infrastructure
- Shanghai court approved first guardianship case where guardian is not a blood relative
- 71-year-old Ren has cared for 56-year-old neighbor Xu for four decades
- Xu, born with a mental disability, has no surviving relatives, prompting the legal appointment
- The case sets a precedent for non-family guardianship under Chinese law
- Definition of rape to be broadened to cover more non‑consensual acts
- New offences introduced for non‑consensual acts involving children and persons with mental impairment
- Uniform age of consent set at 16 years
- Gender‑specific provisions to be removed from the law
- One‑month public consultation opened for the proposals
- A Michigan judge issued an injunction preventing Kalshi from providing sports betting contracts to state residents.
- The ruling temporarily halts Kalshi's sports betting offering pending further legal review.
- The decision underscores the ongoing legal clash between state gambling regulations and federal prediction market rules.
- Malaysia extended the “no‑find, no‑fee” deal with Ocean Infinity until June 30 2027.
- The extension covers a remaining 7,428.54 sq km search area in the southern Indian Ocean.
- Ocean Infinity will receive $70 million only if the wreckage is located.
- Search vessels are slated for redeployment between November and April when weather improves.
- France defeated Sweden 3-0 to advance to the World Cup last-16.
- Kylian Mbappe scored twice, bringing his tournament total to six goals, level with Lionel Messi.
- Mbappe now has 18 World Cup goals, one shy of Messi's record of 19 overall.
- France will meet Paraguay in the upcoming last-16 match.
- LeBron's agent told the Los Angeles Lakers he intends to sign with a different team
- The Golden State Warriors are mentioned as a possible destination
- A move would place the Warriors among NBA teams with the most expensive rosters in history
- Dozens of Mexican fans gathered outside the Westin Hotel in Santa Fe from midnight to early morning, using horns and loudspeakers.
- Ecuadorian Football Federation filed a formal complaint with World Cup organisers over the disturbance.
- Ecuador's team endured a 3‑hour flight delay and a nine‑hour journey to the hotel amid heavy rain.
- Serena Williams, 44, lost 6-3, 6-7(6/8), 6-3 to Maya Joint in first-round Wimbledon match.
- Maya Joint, ranked 87th, earned her first Wimbledon win after a 13‑loss streak in 14 matches.
- Defending champion Iga Swiatek survived a scare, beating Taylor Townsend 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 to reach second round.
- Ben Shelton fell 11-9 in a fifth‑set tie‑break to Otto Virtanen; Alexander Zverev won 6-4, 6-7(8/10), 7-6(7/5), 7-6(7/0).
- Japanese researchers analyze the mechanics of soccer's scissors feint using high‑speed cameras
- Study explains why animal feces form a distinctive coiled shape
- Scientists report the synthesis of a boron buckyball molecule
- Progress reported on the Vesuvius challenge to read the Herculaneum scrolls
- Hong Kong office staff split into two groups: locals favor very cold temperatures, while expats prefer modest cooling.
- The debate reflects broader cultural attitudes among BN(O) migrants toward comfort and environmental impact.
- Over‑cooling raises concerns about energy waste and sustainability in a humid climate.
- The author recalls his late boss Simon's role in mediating the thermostat disputes.
- Lively is demanding $8 million in legal costs from Baldoni.
- The claim breaks down to roughly $7.5 million in attorney fees and $0.5 million in other expenses.
- The dispute concerns the production of their 2024 film "It Ends With Us".
- Both parties settled the case just before a scheduled Manhattan federal trial.
- People spend roughly 40 days a year online, according to the latest data.
- The figure was highlighted on World Social Media Day (June 30, 2026).
- Data was presented by Al Jazeera journalist Naya Hejazi.
- Firefighter Ho Wai-ho was posthumously given the Medal for Bravery
- The 2026 Honours List named 466 individuals across various fields
- Economist Lawrence Lau Juen-yee is among three recipients of Hong Kong's highest award
- Yang Tao returns to China after decades in Norway's energy industry
- Appointed as distinguished professor at China University of Petroleum-Beijing
- Aims to build a bridge with Europe for sustainable energy solutions
- Article outlines a streamlined cash flow calculation method
- Emphasizes improving a simple financial formula
- Potential benefits for analysts seeking clearer cash flow insights
- Founded in 1973 with two primary classes in Wan Chai
- Now operates across three campuses with over 1,600 students
- Maintains a global reputation for academic excellence
- Celebrates 50 years of its core values and educational mission
- Performance metrics dominate but often ignore employee experience
- Employee experience signals can predict talent turnover before it occurs
- Organizations that track and improve experience retain talent and sustain performance
- The Bung Bang Fai (merit fireworks) festival is a centuries-old pre-Buddhist fertility ritual in Northeast Thailand and Laos.
- Rockets are launched in May and June to implore the god Phaya Thaen for rain at the start of the agricultural season.
- Modern rockets, made from PVC pipes, range in size classifications from pan (1,000) to yii sip (20,000,000).
- Unique circular gondola-shaped 'bang fai talai' rockets are made in Ban Kut Wa, Kalasin, creating a helix smoke trail.
No stories match “”.