August 12, 2026 · Daily Global-Macro Brief

August 12, 2026 332 stories · 371 articles, 39 merged · refreshed 2026-10-11 01:37 UTC ▲ 65▼ 63◆ 21– 183

Markets 43

USD/JPY trades near 159.5, up about 2 yen in four sessions after Tokyo's large-scale yen‑buying operation
Japan's Ministry of Finance spent 8.45 trn JPY in a single day, followed by an additional 5.3 trn JPY – the biggest one‑session intervention on record
Policy rate gap stays around 275 bps, keeping upward pressure on the dollar; resistance at 160.00, support at 159.00
July Japanese producer prices expected to accelerate to 7.4% YoY from 7.1%, bolstering a tighter BOJ stance

Read on FXStreet ↗ also: FXStreet

GBP/USD holds firm near 1.3500 after US CPI matches market expectations.
Fed hold bets rise, but December hike chances remain at 73%.
UK GDP data could reshape BoE rate-hike expectations.

Read on FXStreet ↗ also: FXStreet

EUR/USD slipped 0.17% to 1.1522 after hitting a two‑day high of 1.1563
US July CPI eased to 3.4% YoY (core 2.5%), lifting Fed rate‑hold odds to 60%
Germany HICP held steady at 2.8% in July, while energy prices stay elevated
Technical support seen around 1.1510‑1.1514; next resistance at 1.1849

Read on FXStreet ↗

GPFG reported a record H1 profit of $185 billion in 2026
Fund size stands at $2.3 trillion, making it the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund
Asian technology stocks were the primary drivers of the profit boost
Over 50% of the fund’s equity holdings are in U.S. companies

Read on OilPrice ↗

July CPI posted 3.4% YoY and core 2.5%, both in line with expectations
Dow Jones briefly reached the 54,000 level before slipping to around 53,800
AI‑related stocks lifted the S&P 500 (+0.2%) and Nasdaq (+0.5%) while the Dow lagged
Energy prices fell 1.5% month‑over‑month, with crude oil holding above $83 per barrel
September 16 rate‑cut odds sit near 58% after the CPI release

Read on FXStreet ↗

July headline CPI rose 0.1% month‑over‑month, in line with forecasts
Core CPI increased 0.2% month‑over‑month, also matching expectations
Fed policy stance expected unchanged this year, with sub‑50% odds of a September hike
Dollar index slipped, extending bearish momentum post‑CPI

Read on FXStreet ↗

S&P 500 at all-time high with VIX near year-to-date lows despite extreme single-stock swings
Semiconductor ETF (SMH) fell 25% but traders bought record puts; call options surged to decade-high levels
Deep out-of-the-money puts (10-delta) at 66th percentile high, signaling demand for tail-risk hedging

Read on CNBC Top News ↗

US CPI rose 0.1% in July, in line with expectations
Annual CPI inflation slowed to 3.4% from 3.5% a month earlier
Markets give 55% chance of Fed keeping interest rate at 3.50%-3.75% range

Read on Channel NewsAsia Business ↗

Yen weakened to >159 per dollar, wiping out roughly half the gains after the intervention that had lifted it to 155.
10‑year US Treasury yield sits at 4.686% versus 2.846% for 10‑year Japanese bonds, preserving a wide yield gap.
Intervention curbed speculative excess but did not alter the underlying carry‑trade incentive.
The 160 per dollar level is viewed as a political threshold; a rapid breach could prompt another intervention.
Future BOJ policy, potentially two more rate hikes, is seen as essential to sustain any yen recovery.

Read on CNBC Top News ↗

Nonprofit news groups filed lawsuit alleging Trump profited from selling real‑time API access
Truth Social began charging up to $100,000 per month for earliest access to posts
High‑frequency trading firms are among first customers, potentially using the feed for market‑moving information

Read on Ars Technica ↗ also: Channel NewsAsia Business

Fed's less‑hawkish stance weakened the USD but did not trigger net buying of commodity currencies (NOK, AUD, CLP, ZAR, BRL) in the week after the decision
High nominal rates in Australia and Norway persist, yet stagflation and productivity issues limit real‑rate advantage versus the dollar
South Africa held rates steady in July, hinting at a possible pivot, but global growth concerns cap carry‑trade performance

Read on FXStreet ↗ also: FXStreet

H1 GDP growth revised to 6.1% YoY, prompting MTI to raise full-year forecast to 4.5‑5.5%
Non‑oil domestic export growth surged 18.6% in H1, with 2026 forecast lifted to 14‑16%
Manufacturing growth revised up to 12.5% YoY, driven by AI‑related semiconductor demand
USD/SGD slipped 0.1% to 1.2797, continuing decline from late‑June peak near 1.3000

Read on FXStreet ↗ also: FXStreet

NZD/USD fell 0.25% to around 0.5865, pressured by New Zealand political uncertainty.
US CPI for July eased to 3.4% YoY, matching expectations and limiting Fed rate‑move impact.
Technicals show NZD/USD below 100‑ and 200‑period SMAs (0.5879/0.5878) with support at 0.5860.

Read on FXStreet ↗ also: FXStreet

AUD/USD fell to 0.7061, down 0.07% after US CPI matched forecasts
US July CPI eased to 3.4% YoY and core to 2.5%, raising Fed hold odds to 60%
RBA inflation expectations (previous 4.7%) could pressure September rate decision, with 79% odds of holding rates unchanged

Read on FXStreet ↗

Dow Jones futures unchanged, S&P 500 futures down marginally, Nasdaq-100 futures slipped 0.1%
July US Producer Price Index forecast to rise 0.2% month‑over‑month after CPI gain of 0.1%
Asian futures: Nikkei at 68,585, Hang Seng at 25,320, ASX200 at 9,128
July retail sales expected to grow 0.1% MoM, shifting rate‑hike odds to October or December
Tech earnings mixed: CoreWeave up, Cisco down ~4%, Cerebras down 15%, Coherent down ~3%

Read on CNBC Top News ↗

USD/CNY holds around 6.75 in latest trading
July M2 growth forecast to ease to 7.9% YoY, down from 8.0% in June
Aggregate financing YTD expected at CNY21.9tn, up from CNY20.8tn in June
New yuan loans projected to slip to CNY10.6tn from CNY10.7tn
Weak credit print could pressure the PBoC to deliver more targeted monetary easing

Read on FXStreet ↗

SEC supports moving earnings reports from quarterly to semi‑annual, limiting timely data for retail investors.
Fed Chair Kevin Warsh plans to cut forward guidance and reduce policy meeting statements, creating less clarity for small investors.
Trump Media's Truth API charges $60,000‑$100,000 per month for faster access to Truth Social posts, raising concerns about unequal market information.

Read on CNBC Top News ↗

USD/MXN trades near 17.05 after hitting a low of 17.01, its highest level since May 2024
US headline CPI fell to 3.4% YoY and core CPI to 2.5% in July, reinforcing disinflation
Fed hold expectations rise, trimming market bets on a July rate hike
Banxico is expected to keep its policy rate at 6.5% through year, bolstering MXN

Read on FXStreet ↗

AI infrastructure firms report growing order backlogs, fueling chip demand
Analysts caution that not all backlog orders may be fulfilled, adding execution risk
Sector momentum suggests chip stocks are closing in on a bull market

Read on MarketWatch Top Stories ↗

Consumer CPI rose 0.3% month‑on‑month, easing inflation concerns
AI‑focused earnings beat expectations, boosting tech stocks
Geopolitical deadlock in the Middle East weighed on risk sentiment
S&P 500 and Nasdaq ended flat to slightly up, while Dow Jones slipped

Read on WSJ Markets ↗

US equity indices climb as latest inflation data shows slowdown
AI‑related stocks rally following new company name announcements
Wendy's (WEN) shares jump after earnings beat

Read on WSJ Markets ↗

Goldman Sachs announces a significant increase in its ETF product lineup to meet investor appetite
Investors are drawn to ETFs for stock‑like returns while limiting downside risk
The move reflects continued high demand for derivative‑based investment vehicles

Read on WSJ Markets ↗

XLF and KBE ETFs each rose about 13% in the past three months, versus a 5% gain for the S&P 500
Bank stocks led the sector with a 19% rise, while insurance stocks climbed 14% over the same period
Analysts see banks potentially adding another 10%‑20% in the next 12 months, with regional banks already up over 20% YTD
Yield‑curve steepening and easing U.S.–Iran tensions are cited as key drivers of the rally
Higher inflation could prompt a Fed rate hike, posing a risk to the sector's momentum

Read on CNBC Top News ↗

US Dollar Index (DXY) pushed back above the 100.00 mark
EUR/USD fell to the low 1.1500s after earlier gains
GBP/USD lingered in the high 1.3400s ahead of UK GDP data
USD/JPY rose toward the 159.50 level
Gold near $4,410/oz and WTI oil steadied around $83/barrel

Read on FXStreet ↗

Nvidia teamed with BlackRock, KKR, Blackstone and Apollo to fund AI compute capacity.
Nvidia shares dropped 3% after the announcement, later up about 2.7% intraday.
GPU collateral depreciates over a 5‑6 year schedule, complicating loan valuation.
Wells Fargo warns the loans could be repackaged into collateralized loan obligations.
Analysts liken the new AI loan structures to past ABS attempts such as Global Crossing and Enron.

Read on CNBC Top News ↗

EUR/USD slipped to ~1.1521 after peaking at 1.1563, erasing earlier gains
Immediate support at 1.1500, with 50‑day SMA at 1.1466 as next cushion
100‑day SMA at 1.1567 is resistance; a break could target 1.1630 (200‑day SMA)
US Dollar Index hovered around 100, rebounding from a 99.61 low after CPI data
US CPI showed headline 3.4% and core 2.5%, easing inflation expectations

Read on FXStreet ↗

NYE volume has risen in 182 consecutive sessions, the longest streak in at least 30 years
If the trend continues through 2026, it would exceed 250 sessions, a first in three decades
Burry warns the calm could precede a sharp reversal and advises investors to avoid leverage

Read on CNBC Top News ↗

AUD/USD trades around 0.7067, staying near the 0.7070 level after US CPI data
US CPI rose 0.1% month‑on‑month and 3.4% year‑on‑year, with core inflation easing to 2.5% YoY
Fed‑hold outlook gains traction, with probability of a September rate hike just under 50%
Thursday's US PPI is expected to show a sharp slowdown in core producer prices
Technicals: AUD/USD above 20‑period SMA (0.7062) and 100‑period SMA (0.7016); resistance at 0.7069‑0.7078

Read on FXStreet ↗

CoreWeave stock rose >19% to its highest level since June as its Q2 revenue backlog grew to $104.2bn
Super Micro Computer shares jumped >13% after reporting a Q4 gross margin of 17.5% versus estimates of 15-17%
Analysts project up to $8bn added market value for CoreWeave and more than $2bn for Super Micro if gains continue
Bank of America and Morgan Stanley together pledged $250bn for U.S. infrastructure financing, backing data‑center expansion

Read on Channel NewsAsia Business ↗

Data-center backlash curtails electricity demand for power plant owners
Utility and power equities show weakening momentum
Earnings outlook for power generators becomes more uncertain

Read on WSJ Markets ↗

Consumer price index came in line with expectations, reducing inflation worries
CoreWeave and Super Micro reported strong earnings, reviving AI-related buying
Major US equity indices posted gains, led by technology and AI stocks

Read on WSJ Markets ↗

Major European indices opened in the red as geopolitical risk rose
Middle East conflict cited as the primary catalyst for the sell‑off
Broad market breadth was weak, with most sectors under pressure

Read on WSJ Markets ↗

Five major Japanese online securities firms will enable daytime trading of U.S.-listed shares.
The new service could launch as early as December 2024.
Move is a response to the U.S. market's shift toward 23‑hour trading cycles.

Read on Nikkei Asia ↗

Total margin trading reached ¥123 trillion in July, twice the level six months earlier
Retail investors' margin‑buy positions in Kioxia total 13.23 million shares, valued at ¥631.5 billion
Leverage use is rising as investors target high‑priced AI‑related stocks

Read on Nikkei Asia ↗

Combined dividends expected to increase 6% year‑on‑year, the sixth straight record level
Just under 50% of listed firms will raise their payouts
Higher payouts driven by strong chip sector performance and AI‑related earnings

Read on Nikkei Asia ↗

CFTC issued new guidance cautioning platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket on incentive program filings
Regulator flagged many filings as procedurally or substantively deficient, raising wash‑trade and manipulation risks
Firms must provide clear notice of program terms and avoid rebates that could encourage fraudulent behavior

Read on CoinDesk ↗

GBP/JPY trades around 215.00 with RSI flat at 50, indicating neutral momentum
Key resistance at 50‑day SMA 215.43; break above may lead to 216.00 and 216.50 targets
Support levels at 215.00, 100‑day SMA 214.55, and 200‑day SMA 212.12

Read on FXStreet ↗

Jack in the Box EPS 96¢ vs 88¢ estimate, shares up >1% after hours
Red Robin Q2 EPS 12¢ beats break-even, revenue $277.6m, shares up ~2%
Cerebras Systems revenue $180m misses $194m consensus, shares down 14% in extended trading
StubHub shares down >15% after adjusted gross margin 82.2% vs 84.3% estimate
Cisco shares fell 3% as Q4 adjusted gross margin 66.3% narrowly beat 66% consensus

Read on CNBC Top News ↗

USD/CHF rose 0.30% to 0.8138, reaching ten‑day high
Bearish flag may trigger pullback if price falls below 50‑day SMA at 0.8071, targeting 0.8042 and 0.8000
A break above the flag could lift the pair to 0.8200 and the yearly peak at 0.8205, with further upside to 0.8250/0.8300

Read on FXStreet ↗

USD/CNH is confined to a narrow 6.7444‑6.7489 band.
UOB projects a near‑term trading range of 6.7430‑6.7530.
A break below 6.7300 could push the pair lower, while a breach above 6.7580 may sustain the range.
Medium‑term recovery for the dollar requires a move above the 21‑week EMA at 6.8430.

Read on FXStreet ↗

Kraken's funded trading program now includes round‑the‑clock access to the S&P 500 index
The addition expands Kraken's multi‑asset offering beyond crypto to equities
Kraken indicated commodities will be added to the program in the near future

Read on Cointelegraph ↗

Dollar index gains after earlier losses, indicating a partial recovery
Treasury yields rise modestly following morning dip
FX and bond markets show limited volatility amid the reversal

Read on WSJ Markets ↗

Rising bond yields have increased the cost basis for Powerball prize funding
AI-driven micro‑trading contributed to tighter bond spreads
Higher Treasury yields may push Powerball jackpots higher in the near term

Read on WSJ Markets ↗

Macro/Economy 31

U.S. headline CPI rose 3.4% YoY in July, matching expectations and easing from 3.5% in June
Core CPI increased 2.5% YoY, in line with forecasts, down from 2.6% prior month
Bitcoin held near $64,000 as Treasury yields declined; Fed rate hike odds for September fell to 44% from 48%

Read on CoinDesk ↗ also: CNBC Top News

US-China Economic and Security Review Commission observed outward confidence in China despite hidden growth worries
Commission flagged lingering issues such as weak GDP momentum, high corporate debt, and a struggling property sector
Findings stem from a week-long July visit to Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou by the US congressional advisory body

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

July deficit totalled $432.3 bn, up 48% YoY and the largest monthly shortfall since March 2021
Cumulative deficit for the first 10 months of FY2024 reached nearly $1.8 tn
Medicare expenses jumped to $174 bn in July, driving the deficit increase
Tariff refunds cost $33 bn and a non‑business day added $99 bn to outlays

Read on CNBC Top News ↗

India's CPI inflation accelerated to 4.45% YoY in July, up from 4.38% in June and above the RBI's 4% target
Food inflation climbed to 5.5% YoY while transport inflation exceeded 7%, raising supply-chain concerns amid geopolitical tensions
Morgan Stanley forecasts RBI to hike rates by 75bps starting December, targeting a terminal rate of 6.0% by FY2025

Read on CNBC Energy ↗

US to impose 100% tariffs on generic medicines from 2028, increasing to 200% after one year
India's low-cost, export-driven model for generic medicines may be disrupted
Potential impact on India's economy and its status as a global supplier of generic medicines

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

Coordinated US-Japan intervention could not keep the yen above 150 per dollar
The yen slipped back to roughly 152 per dollar shortly after the intervention
Analysts say Tokyo must adjust macroeconomic policy to support the currency
The episode underscores market skepticism about Japan's monetary stance

Read on Nikkei Asia ↗

Zhu Rongji served as China's premier from 1998 to 2003.
He spearheaded the overhaul of state‑owned enterprises and negotiated China's WTO entry in 2001.
His reforms are credited with accelerating China's shift from a centrally planned to market‑oriented economy.

Read on SCMP Economy ↗ also: SCMP Economy

Global EV sales increased in July.
Europe posted growth, offsetting weaker sales in China.
North America also saw a slowdown, contributing to regional imbalance.

Read on Investing.com News ↗

Chinese exporters are targeting the Muslim world's halal market across food, cosmetics and fashion.
The strategy seeks to diversify China's export base beyond traditional low‑cost goods.
Success will depend on building trust with Muslim consumers, a challenge harder than price competition.

Read on MarketWatch Top Stories ↗

Lettuce prices dropped 16.4% month‑over‑month, the steepest one‑month decline on record.
CPI food category recorded the sharpest month‑over‑month deflation, while overall CPI rose 0.1% in July.
Year‑over‑year lettuce price remains about 7.5% higher, outpacing the 3.5% growth of the broader CPI basket.
Pre‑packaged salad sales plunged 14% YoY in the four weeks ending July 25, according to NielsenIQ.
Chains reported sales impacts: Chipotle saw a ~2‑point dip, Sweetgreen cut its full‑year outlook.

Read on CNBC Top News ↗

USDA lowers 2026/27 corn yield estimate to 180.7 bushels per acre
July forecast had been 183 bushels per acre
Cut of 2.3 bushels per acre exceeds analysts' expectations
Tighter supply outlook could support higher corn prices

Read on WSJ Markets ↗

White House officials floated indexing capital gains to inflation and expanding home‑sale exemptions ahead of 2024 midterms.
Current exclusion caps are $250,000 for singles and $500,000 for couples; about 10% of homeowners exceeded these limits in 2022.
Legislative proposals (More Homes on the Market Act, No Tax on Homes Sales Act) remain in committee, making near‑term enactment unlikely.

Read on CNBC Top News ↗

US soybean growers pivot to third countries and biofuel sector
China-bound exports decline, but production only drops slightly
Annual China-US soybean purchase agreement remains in place

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

Mortgage rates fell 4 basis points to 6.77% after 5 weeks of gains
Total mortgage application volume rose 3.6% last week
Refinance applications rose 5% for the week, but were 22% lower year over year

Read on CNBC Top News ↗

CPI is a key indicator of inflation, calculated by tracking prices of a basket of goods and services
Economists study CPI and other indicators, such as GDP and unemployment rates, to understand inflation trends
Inflation is typically measured as an annual percentage change in the CPI

Read on WSJ Markets ↗

Chinese leadership says it fully understands its economic challenges, so external advice is unnecessary
Officials suggest reluctance stems from mistrust of foreign recommendations and potential financial burden
Beijing emphasizes a distinct policy approach, diverging from typical Western prescriptions
The stance may affect foreign investors' expectations of policy coordination with China

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

EU's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) came into force on 18 July 2024, replacing the 1994 directive
PPWR expands chemical restrictions and mandates higher recyclability for all packaging placed on the EU market
Chinese exporters must redesign packaging to meet the new standards, adding compliance costs and possible shipment delays
Failure to comply could result in fines or bans, adding pressure amid existing China‑EU trade tensions

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

Advisors are urging bond purchases, yet investors hold about $3 trillion in cash and money‑market funds.
The cash surplus could dampen demand for bonds and keep yields higher than expected.
Money‑market fund inflows are rising as investors seek safety amid market volatility.

Read on WSJ Markets ↗

Chief Executive John Lee highlighted ASEAN's role in Hong Kong's first five-year plan.
Trade between Hong Kong and ASEAN is set to keep growing, according to officials.
The key challenge is determining which businesses will capture the added economic value.
Hong Kong seeks to position itself as a gateway for ASEAN firms seeking regional access.

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

Automotive supply chains are the longest and most extensive among Japan's manufacturing sectors
Firms at the core of these chains have disproportionately higher influence on downstream suppliers' output
Supply constraints in identified bottleneck products can noticeably reduce overall manufacturing production
Holding inventory buffers can partially offset production losses from such constraints

Read on Bank of Japan ↗

Finance Ministry will tap emergency borrowing decree funds to subsidise EV bus replacements
Subsidies will be provided as public loans, with an allocated budget of roughly €5.3 billion
Program aims to replace internal‑combustion‑engine public service vehicles with electric vehicles

Read on Bangkok Post Business ↗

Geely's Xingyuan electric hatchback topped six‑month sales with ~197,500 units, making Geely the top seller.
Tesla Model Y ranked second with over 180,000 units sold, despite a price range of 263,500‑313,500 yuan.
New‑energy vehicles accounted for 65.1% of July passenger‑car sales, up from 54% a year earlier.
Overall passenger‑car sales fell 20.3% YTD, while BYD's passenger‑car sales dropped more than 10% in H1.

Read on CNBC Top News ↗

State-owned banks posted robust loan and profit growth in the first half of 2026
Liquidity is set to tighten after government funding injections mature in October
Rising interest margin pressure and slowing individual savings could curb loan growth

Read on Nikkei Asia ↗

Manufacturers resist shedding excess capacity to protect market share
Panel prices stay below pre‑surge levels despite production cuts
Industry remains in a prolonged price war with no clear recovery in sight

Read on Nikkei Asia ↗

FSA is interviewing top banks and life insurers about their defense industry investments
Government aims to attract more private capital to the defense sector
Banks remain cautious despite the push for increased private funding

Read on Nikkei Asia ↗

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi proposes cutting Japan's consumption tax on food items
LDP members warn the cut lacks a clear funding plan and could strain the budget
Growing dissent within the ruling party may delay or derail the proposal

Read on Nikkei Asia ↗

Government defense subsidies are increasing but show little impact on automotive output
Car manufacturers face structural headwinds despite potential defense contracts
Analysts warn reliance on defense spending cannot offset weak domestic demand for cars

Read on Nikkei Asia ↗

July corporate goods price index published for the month
Index measures price changes for goods sold to businesses
Data will be used to gauge inflationary pressures in the corporate sector

Read on Bank of Japan ↗

Thousands gathered at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar to demand jobs
Highly educated youth remain jobless despite taking numerous government exams
No Hindi term exists to describe the loss of value in academic qualifications

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

BTS Arirang tour scheduled for Hong Kong next year, likely to raise hotel occupancy
Analysts forecast a booking surge comparable to Seoul's April BTS concert spike
Hospitality sector anticipates revenue lift, aiding Hong Kong's tourism recovery

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

Temporary foreign demand shocks create bonus linkages across supply chains
Downstream investment activity, both domestic and abroad, influences a firm's capital spending
Wage levels within a firm are affected by wage rates set by focal firms in the same supply chain
Analysis based on production network data from Japan's manufacturing sector

Read on Bank of Japan ↗

Central Banks 4

BOE moves digital pound project to Phase 2, testing interoperability of public stablecoins and central‑bank money in trade‑finance flows
Digital Pound Lab partners with NOBO Finance, Dun & Bradstreet and Polygon Labs to trial reusable SME credit profiles and invoice‑factoring using stablecoins and a potential digital pound
Experiments involve no real customers or money and aim to inform the BOE and Treasury’s assessment of a future digital pound and stablecoin regulation

Read on CoinDesk ↗ also: Cointelegraph

U.S. AI capex projected at $581 bn in 2024, about 1.8% of GDP, rising to 2.8% by 2028
AI build-out is raising costs in sectors such as electricity, creating short‑term inflationary pressure
Only 17‑20% of U.S. firms report AI use, with large firms adopting at a much higher rate
Fed officials face a dilemma as AI‑driven spending may delay disinflation despite long‑term productivity hopes
Economists compare AI’s potential productivity boost to the internet era’s modest 1.5‑2.5% gain

Read on CNBC Economy ↗

Uncollateralized overnight call rate remained stable at around 0.5% until December 2025, then rose to around 0.75%.
Japanese government bond (JGB) purchases reduced by about 400 billion yen each calendar quarter until January-March 2026, and by about 200 billion yen each calendar quarter from April-June 2026.
Long-term interest rates increased to 2.35-2.40% in late March 2026, the highest level since February 1999.

Read on Bank of Japan ↗

President Prabowo nominated Deputy Governor Destry Damayanti as the next Bank Indonesia governor
Rupiah held below 18,000 per USD, signalling continued stability
Indonesian bond yields eased from recent peaks
Analysts expect Bank Indonesia to keep rates unchanged this month
Technocratic appointment viewed as market‑friendly, bolstering confidence in monetary policy

Read on FXStreet ↗

Energy/Oil 17

Six crew members killed in Houthi attack on cargo ship in Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
U.S. forces fired missiles at a container ship attempting to breach the naval blockade of Iranian ports.
Brent crude rose 0.6% to $89.44/bbl and WTI up 0.7% to $83.8/bbl, extending a weekly gain of over 7%.
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which handled 20% of global oil trade, remains far below pre‑war levels.
Diplomatic talks on reopening Hormuz remain stalled, keeping upside risk to oil prices.

Read on CNBC Energy ↗ also: CNBC Energy·OilPrice

IEA forecasts global oil demand to drop by 1.6 million barrels per day in 2026, 510,000 bpd more than its July forecast
Brent crude has ranged from $70 to $100 per barrel this month, currently just under $90
U.S. crude stockpiles fell below 300 million barrels, the lowest in over four decades, and global oil inventories slipped under 7.9 billion barrels in July
Continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz sustains supply‑risk pressures and fuels further demand destruction

Read on CNBC Energy ↗ also: OilPrice

EIA forecasts 600,000 barrels per day of Middle East oil will remain shut by end-2027
Strait of Hormuz traffic constraints expected to continue through August
Third‑quarter crude price forecasts lifted due to tighter supply
Supply shortfall could push WTI and Brent prices higher

Read on OilPrice ↗

US‑Iran conflict lifts natural gas prices in Europe and Asia
Iranian strikes damaged Ras Laffan Trains 4 & 6 and Pearl GTL Train 2, removing about 12.8 mt per year of LNG capacity
The forced outage is projected to last 3‑5 years, tightening global LNG supply
Asia accounts for roughly 90% of Middle East LNG shipments, versus 7‑11% for Europe
Five new LNG megaprojects are being positioned to meet the anticipated demand surge

Read on OilPrice ↗

WTI trades around $82.20 per barrel, near a 1.5‑week high
U.S. crude inventories jumped 17.4 million barrels in the week to Aug 7, the biggest rise since Jan 2023
EIA raised its 2026 average WTI price forecast to $80.88 per barrel from $76.26
Strait of Hormuz remains closed, maintaining a geopolitical risk premium in oil markets

Read on FXStreet ↗

Brent crude rose 7 cents to $88.98 per barrel
U.S. crude (WTI) increased 7 cents to $83.27 per barrel
U.S. CPI for July up 0.1% in line with expectations, easing Fed rate‑hike pressure
MSCI World index up 0.34%, while the Dow fell 0.04% and the S&P 500 rose 0.26%
Markets price roughly a 50% chance of a Fed hike and about a 60% chance of a BOJ quarter‑point hike in September

Read on Channel NewsAsia Business ↗

Vessel transits averaged about 13 ships per day over five days, the lowest since May 12
Traffic is roughly 90% lower than the pre-Feb 28 average of 130 ships daily
Oil exports via the strait averaged ~9 million barrels per day, down from ~20 million bpd pre-conflict
Post-deal peak of ~60 ships per day on June 26 has fallen about 80% to current levels

Read on CNBC Energy ↗

2026 demand outlook cut by 1.6 million b/d, 510k b/d lower than last month
July global oil supply rose to 101.5 million b/d but remains below year‑earlier levels
Refinery crude throughputs at 80.9 million b/d, about 5 million b/d less than a year ago
Observed inventories fell 69 million barrels in July, pushing prices higher

Read on FXStreet ↗

Ukrainian forces have reportedly suspended drone attacks on oil tankers at Novorossiysk port.
The halt follows a request from U.S. Vice-President JD Vance, citing unnamed Ukrainian officials.
The request was prompted by concerns that the attacks were further destabilizing the global oil market.
Previous drone attacks had twice shut down the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) in recent months.

Read on OilPrice ↗

U.S. marketed natural gas production forecast at 122.5 Bcf/d in 2026, up 4% YoY and surpassing 2025 record
Permian region output rises 6% to 29.2 Bcf/d in 2026, driven by higher WTI crude prices ($84/b vs breakeven $63-69/b)
Haynesville production up 7% in 1H26, forecast to rise 9% in 2026 on Henry Hub price of $3.44/MMBtu

Read on EIA Today in Energy ↗

Oil traffic through Hormuz Strait falls 17% YoY in July
Iran's oil exports decline 40% YoY in July
WTI crude price drops 2.5% on lower demand expectations

Read on Investing.com Commodities ↗

Romania may shut its last active nuclear reactor as Danube water levels fall, disrupting 20% of national power supply
France's EDF shut 3 reactors due to jellyfish swarms, adding to record nuclear outages amid heat/drought
EU faces €180bn economic hit from heatwave, equivalent to 1% of 2024 GDP via lower productivity and energy disruptions
Hungary restarted 2 turbines at Paks plant (40% of power) after rainfall eased Danube water levels

Read on CNBC Energy ↗

Brent crude rose above $89 per barrel.
Price support stems from a US‑Iran stalemate over the Strait of Hormuz.
Supply‑risk premium keeps downside pressure on oil markets limited.

Read on Investing.com Commodities ↗

Oil futures closed with minimal price movement
Market remains cautious ahead of geopolitical developments
Attention centered on the Strait of Hormuz as a supply risk factor

Read on WSJ Markets ↗

Interior Department will auction >81 million Gulf of Mexico acres on Aug 12
Third of 30 lease sales mandated by the 2025 tax and spending law
Auction follows Iran‑Israel conflict that lifted Brent crude above $89 per barrel
Potential to increase U.S. Gulf oil and gas production capacity

Read on OilPrice ↗

Natural gas futures climbed as traders awaited weekly inventory reports
Forecasts show above‑average temperatures for the next two weeks across much of the U.S.
Warmer weather is expected to boost demand for heating and power generation

Read on WSJ Markets ↗

Energy market sentiment appears mixed amid limited data
Oil price movements remain relatively stable
Investors are awaiting clearer signals from upcoming reports

Read on Investing.com Commodities ↗

Gold/Metals 10

Gold price rose >1% to trade above $4,400 after July CPI came in at 3.5% YoY, down from 3.6%
Market odds shifted to a 60% chance the Fed will hold rates steady at the September meeting
Core CPI fell to 2.5% YoY, with gold's next resistance at $4,450 and $4,500 as a key target
Strait of Hormuz remains closed, keeping energy‑driven inflation concerns alive

Read on FXStreet ↗ also: FXStreet·Investing.com Commodities

Gold fell up to 18% from its early‑2026 $5,300/oz high but posted its best week since January, rising ~1% on Wednesday.
Central banks added 19.9 tons of gold in July, marking the PBOC’s 21st consecutive month of accumulation.
Fed rate‑hike expectations dropped more than 20 percentage points in a week after CPI showed 0.1% monthly (3.4% annual) inflation.
GLD ETF rose ~1% to a six‑week high in inflows; mining ETFs GDX and GDXJ saw heightened investor interest.
Technical break above the 50‑day moving average and a higher‑high pattern suggest further upside for gold.

Read on CNBC Top News ↗

Gold price reacts to geopolitical risk in the Strait of Hormuz
Upcoming US CPI inflation data could boost gold demand
Higher tensions or persistent inflation may push gold higher

Read on Investing.com Commodities ↗

Swedish government rejected appeals, clearing the way for the Laver project
The concession could double Sweden's copper output
Boliden (STO:BOL) moves closer to developing the new mine despite environmental concerns

Read on Northern Miner ↗

Silver (XAG/USD) up 1.40% to $65.53, hitting a daily high of $66.80
Cleared the 50‑day SMA around $61.60; first resistance at $66.59
Next targets: 100‑day SMA $68.87, 200‑day SMA $71.47

Read on FXStreet ↗

Gold closed 0.6% higher, marking a fourth consecutive gain.
Silver advanced 1.2%, extending its rally with eight wins in the past 11 sessions.
July inflation data came in tame, supporting the metals rally.
Precious metals have risen for four straight sessions amid easing price pressures.

Read on WSJ Markets ↗

Silver (XAG/USD) up 2.18% to around $66.00
US CPI annual rate eased to 3.4% in July, in line with forecasts
DXY fell modestly and 2‑year Treasury yield dropped ~4 bps to about 4.18%
CME FedWatch probability of a September rate hike fell to ~38% from 44%
Geopolitical tension in the Strait of Hormuz keeps safe‑haven demand elevated

Read on FXStreet ↗

Aluminum stockpiles on the LME hit their lowest level since 1990
Norsk Hydro's Alunorte plant in Brazil cut output by 50% due to natural gas shortages
London aluminum price rose nearly 2% to $3,373 per metric ton
Alumina futures in Shanghai gained about 1% following the production cut
Hydro expects to restore full capacity once natural gas supplies normalize

Read on OilPrice ↗

Gold has risen roughly 3% this month, trading near $2,060 per ounce
U.S. CPI data due on the scheduled release date could spark volatility
Analysts caution that a break below $2,000/oz may trigger further declines
Market sentiment is mixed as investors weigh inflation data against recent gains

Read on Investing.com Commodities ↗

Gold price steadied near $4,500 after US VC PMI data showed resilience
Logarithmic cycle model projects a target range of $4,524 to $4,648
Break above $4,648 could open the next resistance zone around $4,700
Support level to watch is $4,500 if market sentiment turns negative

Read on Investing.com Commodities ↗

Crypto 37

ONE token dropped about 40% in Asian trading after an exploit minted ~4 billion new tokens, ~26% of existing supply
The attack increased total supply by more than a quarter, leading Harmony to ask exchanges to freeze funds linked to four addresses
Harmony is rolling out an emergency software patch and considering a rollback to remove the newly minted tokens

Read on CoinDesk ↗ also: CoinDesk·Cointelegraph

Markets often strain due to capital trapped by slow settlement cycles, not capital scarcity, especially during volatility.
Traditional market infrastructure, with batch processing and cut-off times, fails to keep pace with continuous, fast-moving markets.
This mismatch leads to liquidity issues, wider spreads, and forced position exits when collateral cannot be mobilized quickly.
Stablecoins are becoming crucial settlement infrastructure, allowing cash-like value to move at digital asset speeds, bypassing T+1/T+2 delays.
Tokenization enhances asset portability, enabling collateral to be pledged and transferred faster, freeing trapped capital.

Read on CoinDesk ↗

Solana’s staking network lost 29% of tokens offline due to a routing failure at Teraswitch’s Miami facility, nearing the 33% threshold that halts finality
Incident exposed reliance on a single connectivity provider controlling 25%+ of staked tokens, risking a full blockchain freeze
Network recovered in ~10 minutes; February 2024 outage required a 5-hour restart after exceeding the 33% threshold

Read on CoinDesk ↗

CFTC invokes emergency authority to keep Kalshi operating in New York
Kalshi must continue operating in accordance with normal practices and the Commodity Exchange Act's Core Principles
Dispute over jurisdiction between CFTC and New York remains unresolved

Read on Cointelegraph ↗

Anchorpoint Financial, a Standard Chartered venture, begins HKD At Par (HKDAP) stablecoin rollout for institutional users
HKDAP targets broader retail adoption by end-2026 via B2B2C model with distributors and use-case partners
HKMA approved HSBC and Anchorpoint to issue fiat-backed stablecoins in April 2024

Read on Channel NewsAsia Business ↗ also: Cointelegraph·CoinDesk

Fidelity's Fidelity Ethereum Fund (FETH) holds $898 million in net assets.
The fund will keep 85% of gross staking rewards, with 15% going to service providers.
Staking rewards will fund quarterly cash distributions after covering expenses.
The ETF can stake up to 100% of its ether holdings, subject to liquidity needs.

Read on CoinDesk ↗ also: Cointelegraph

Arizona's crypto ATM law, effective September 2025, has enabled 35 scam victims to recover a total of $171,332.
The law mandates full refunds, including fees, for eligible new customers who report fraudulent transactions.
Victims must notify both the crypto ATM operator and law enforcement within 30 days of the transaction.
A 'new customer' is defined as someone using an operator for fewer than 10 days, with a daily transaction limit of $2,000.

Read on Cointelegraph ↗

OCC returned Zerohash's trust bank charter application on July 17, citing material deficiencies.
Zerohash aims to refile a narrower, focused application by the end of the month.
The company sought a broad digital‑asset trust charter amid a recent wave of OCC approvals.
Existing operations, including services for Morgan Stanley's E*Trade, continue unchanged.
Similar OCC rejections have affected fintech firms such as Wise and Bunq.

Read on CoinDesk ↗

ARMA Act introduced in May 2026 would lock government-held Bitcoin for at least 20 years and require quarterly audits
The bill does not mandate new Bitcoin purchases, limiting near‑term demand impact
Spot Bitcoin ETFs boosted institutional demand in 2024, but the next demand driver may be government policy
Legislative timeline likely pushes enactment to 2027‑2028 as broader crypto regulation is prioritized

Read on Bangkok Post Business ↗

Tether International increased its holding in Metalla to about 14% of outstanding shares.
The move deepens Tether's push into Canadian gold royalty companies.
Metalla (TSXV/NYSE-A: MTA) gains a major stablecoin investor, linking crypto assets to gold exposure.

Read on Northern Miner ↗

Goldman Sachs will buy NEOS Investments for up to $2.25 billion, pending regulatory approval, with closing expected in Q1 2027.
The deal adds the $1.1 billion BTCI bitcoin synthetic ETF, which uses a covered‑call strategy yielding ~27% and has fallen ~43% over the past year.
Combined with existing holdings, the acquisition lifts Goldman’s ETF assets above $130 billion and gives it a $30 billion options‑based ETF platform.
The move targets the fast‑growing derivative income ETF market, now roughly $180 billion industry‑wide.

Read on CoinDesk ↗

Wintermute will allocate $1 billion over five years to AI and high‑frequency trading infrastructure
Goal: non‑crypto markets to generate >50% of revenue by 2027, up from 10% currently
Daily crypto trading volume fell to about $10 billion, down from $15 billion in 2025
U.S. affiliate obtained broker‑dealer status to trade stocks, options and ETFs

Read on CoinDesk ↗

Kalshi will integrate DoubleZero’s DoubleZeroEdge low‑latency market data feed on Solana.
The feed transmits live exchange and on‑chain data over dedicated fiber, mirroring TradFi models used by NYSE, Nasdaq and CME.
Kalshi targets institutional traders needing faster pricing for its prediction market contracts, including crypto perpetual futures.
DoubleZeroEdge offers a machine‑readable view of Kalshi’s order book for pricing, hedging and signal generation.
The partnership aims to give institutions split‑second trade execution advantages in digital‑asset markets.

Read on CoinDesk ↗

US CPI inflation numbers matched expectations, providing modest relief
September Fed rate pause odds increased to 60% following the CPI data
Bitcoin eyes a $63,000 target despite price action showing little reaction

Read on Cointelegraph ↗

Miden introduces USDCx, a privacy-focused stablecoin backed by Circle's USDC
USDCx allows users to transact privately while selectively disclosing information for compliance
The stablecoin is expected to debut at the end of this month with the Miden mainnet

Read on CoinDesk ↗

Slovenia has officially joined the European Union's MiCA stablecoin register.
Electronic money institution Dinaro is the first issuer from Slovenia to be included.
The update also saw the addition of two new Crypto-Asset Service Providers (CASPs) to the register.

Read on Cointelegraph ↗

El Salvador's Bitcoin adoption has failed to deliver benefits to locals
Experiment has boosted Bitcoin's global profile instead
Five years since Bitcoin became legal tender in El Salvador

Read on Cointelegraph ↗

Stablecoin circulation rose 25% to $310B since July 2023, underscoring rapid adoption of digital dollar-linked assets
Fed’s proposed 'skinny' payment account for digital banks lacks key features like intraday credit and full Fedwire access, perpetuating dependency risks
Anchorage Digital, a federally chartered crypto bank, was debanked in 2023, exposing systemic inefficiencies in Fed payment rail access

Read on CoinDesk ↗

Paraguayan police investigating death of Hong Kong-born crypto fund executive Harry Yeh Chun-tak
Experts warn of global rise in violent extortion attempts targeting digital asset holders
Case sparks speculation and concerns over safety of crypto industry professionals

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

Russia’s central bank to allow retail crypto trading only in BTC, ETH, USDT from Sept 1
Non-qualified investors face 300,000 ruble ($3,600) annual purchase limit per intermediary
Qualified investors exempt from cap; crypto payments remain banned in Russia
Rules add specifics to July legislation but exclude broader crypto payment use cases

Read on CoinDesk ↗

XRP futures open interest rose to 2.67 bn XRP ($2.73 bn), the highest level since October
XRP price is hovering around $1.00, with support near $0.99 and resistance around $1.02
July CPI expected at 3.4% YoY (down from 3.5%) and core CPI at 2.5% (down from 2.6%)
A bridge exploit resulted in a loss of about 200,000 XRP (~$200k)
Market pricing implies only a 1.3% post‑CPI move for crypto, indicating low volatility expectations

Read on CoinDesk ↗

Standard Chartered heads a joint venture to issue Hong Kong dollar‑backed stablecoins for institutional use
Hong Kong's stablecoin regulatory framework took effect a year ago, enabling the launch
Retail availability of the stablecoin could start as early as end‑2026, subject to market conditions

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

RedotPay claims Binance will settle the Singapore case, citing a $473 million dispute.
Binance counters that its legal claims in Singapore remain active.
The litigation highlights ongoing regulatory challenges for crypto platforms.

Read on Cointelegraph ↗

Fee income dropped to 0.52% of miners' total revenue, the lowest in a decade
Overall fee-derived revenue now under 0.7% of mining earnings
Miners are shifting focus toward AI as transaction fees shrink
The decline underscores continued profit pressure on Bitcoin mining operations

Read on Cointelegraph ↗

Publicly listed miners sold ~28,000 BTC in 2026, worth $1.78 bn at current prices
Bitcoin has fallen 27% YTD, trading just under $64,000 and lagging major assets
Mining difficulty dropped about 18% since November, easing competition for remaining miners
U.S. spot crypto ETFs saw net outflows over $4.4 bn, prompting additional Bitcoin sales

Read on CoinDesk ↗

Suspected North Korean IT staff joined a sham cryptocurrency venture unaware of surveillance
All actions of the workers were tracked to harvest valuable intelligence
The operation highlights heightened cyber‑espionage risks targeting crypto projects
No specific cryptocurrency token was disclosed, but the scheme underscores security concerns in the sector

Read on Cointelegraph ↗

Crypto.com adds tokenized derivatives tracking 1,500 U.S. stocks and ETFs, including AAPL, TSLA, NVDA
Tokenized stock market value rose ~600% YoY to $2.49 bn; Citi forecasts tokenized securities could hit $5.5 tn by 2030
Products provide synthetic price exposure without ownership or voting rights; positions start at $1 and trade 24/7
Launch follows Crypto.com's 2025 acquisition of Foris Capital, securing a MiFID license for regulated EU offerings

Read on CoinDesk ↗

Bitcoin range $62,000–$66,000 may break after July CPI data
Traders bought $70,000 BTC call options, paying roughly $2.5 million in premiums
Consensus expects CPI +0.1% MoM, +3.4% YoY; core CPI +0.2% MoM, +2.5% YoY
Ether saw net exchange outflows of $49.7 million in one day and $164.6 million over the week
Volatility plays include December strangles on BTC and SOL

Read on CoinDesk ↗

Dogecoin up ~3% to 7¢, weekly gain ~3%; BNB up 2% to $614, weekly up ~2%
Bitcoin fell to around $63,700, the only major crypto down both day and week
Asian equities rallied, Korea's Kospi jumped 4.6% on strong semiconductor earnings
Brent crude rose over 1% to $90 a barrel, marking a sixth consecutive gain
U.S. CPI data due Thursday could drive risk‑asset moves; lower inflation may spur a Fed rate‑cut outlook

Read on CoinDesk ↗

Mining pools controlling the majority of Ravencoin's hash rate are constructing a rival chain.
The new chain could cause a three‑day blockchain reorganization.
A network exploit has put Ravencoin transactions at risk, driving the coin to a record low.
Market sentiment turns sharply bearish as the exploit raises security concerns.

Read on Cointelegraph ↗

U.S. SEC and CFTC jointly sue Goliath Ventures for alleged $400 million fraud
Regulators claim the firm promised crypto liquidity‑pool returns but operated a Ponzi scheme
Funds were used to pay earlier investors and finance the founder's luxury spending
The case highlights heightened regulatory scrutiny of crypto investment platforms

Read on Cointelegraph ↗

Hawaii will prohibit all crypto ATMs starting Oct. 1, 2024
State becomes the fourth in the US to impose a total ban, after Minnesota, Tennessee and Indiana
Ban is aimed at curbing scams linked to cryptocurrency ATM and kiosk usage
Regulatory move adds to growing scrutiny of crypto services across the United States

Read on Cointelegraph ↗

Council Speaker Julie Menin sent letters to four prediction‑market companies operating in New York
Investigation focuses on alleged predatory marketing practices targeting residents
Regulatory scrutiny could impact U.S. prediction‑market platforms and related crypto services

Read on Cointelegraph ↗

Proposed tight limits on stablecoin activities could curb competition in the payments sector.
Reduced competition may lead to higher transaction costs for everyday U.S. consumers.
Policymakers face a trade‑off between consumer protection and fostering cheaper digital money transfers.

Read on WSJ Markets ↗

Bitwise will reduce its staff by 14% as part of a cost‑saving initiative.
The move follows similar workforce reductions at Coinbase, Robinhood, and other crypto firms.
Despite the cuts, Bitwise still projects continued revenue growth, citing AI integration and market positioning.

Read on Cointelegraph ↗

Kalshi launches sports and crypto perps data feed on DoubleZero
Institutional data access bolstered through dedicated fiber network
Enhanced data feed for institutional investors

Read on Cointelegraph ↗

Bitcoin Policy Institute leads request for AI firms to share frontier models with Bitcoin developers
Aim is to bolster cybersecurity for Bitcoin and open‑source projects
Early AI access intended to accelerate threat detection and mitigation

Read on Cointelegraph ↗

Geopolitics 41

Washington announces security restrictions on all federally funded US-China scientific collaborations
The move eliminates one of the last remaining channels of US-China engagement ahead of the Xi-Trump summit
The policy could suspend dozens of joint research projects and limit future academic exchanges

Read on SCMP Economy ↗ also: SCMP Economy

Ukrainian forces hit Novorossiysk on Wednesday night with drones and missiles
Three grain export terminals were damaged, halting operations at Russia's last major Black Sea naval base
Casualties include three dead (including an 8‑year‑old) and 24 injured
The attack could tighten global wheat supplies as grain shipments are suspended

Read on OilPrice ↗

Putin warned Russia will seize European ships if EU confiscates Russian vessels or cargo.
The threat targets EU measures aimed at disrupting Russia's shadow oil export fleet.
Potential retaliation could lead to direct Russian interference with commercial shipping.
Escalation adds geopolitical risk to European energy and trade flows.

Read on OilPrice ↗

Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique, Ghana, and Guinea ban raw material exports
Local processing rules enforced, forcing Chinese mining firms to invest
Africa becomes a 'strategic hub' for Chinese industrial expansion

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

Supreme Leader Khamenei formalizes six senior military/security posts in 48 hours
Moves to replace wartime emergency chain of command with permanent structure
Appointments reflect shift toward loyalists under Khamenei’s direct control

Read on OilPrice ↗

Kalbinur Sidik, a Uyghur teacher, describes forced labor, sterilization, and torture in Chinese 're-education' camps
Over 1 million Uyghurs reportedly detained; children separated from families and placed in state-run boarding schools
China accused of systematic human rights abuses including organ harvesting and cultural erasure in Xinjiang

Read on The Diplomat ↗

Russian President Putin threatened retaliation against Western nations for seizing Russian commercial vessels.
Putin described the Western actions as 'piracy and robbery' and a breach of international maritime law.
He stated Russia would be 'forced to respond in kind' if such seizures continue.

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

Japan’s Three Non-Nuclear Principles face scrutiny as PM Takaichi avoids explicit reaffirmation in upcoming strategic documents
China, North Korea, and Russia’s nuclear advancements and U.S. extended deterrence credibility concerns intensify debate
Japan’s 2030s dilemma: strict adherence to non-nuclear principles may conflict with U.S. nuclear-armed submarine port visits

Read on The Diplomat ↗

Resistance groups including Sipahiyan-i-Mihan and AFF escalated attacks in Badakhshan, briefly capturing a district in July
Taliban deployed Pashtun reinforcements and relied on local warlord Juma Khan Fateh amid rising opposition
Taliban's crackdown on Hazara and Tajik communities risks fueling broader resistance and instability
ISKP's assassination of a Taliban official in Badakhshan adds to multi-front security threats

Read on The Diplomat ↗

New trilateral defense pact mirrors NATO Article 5-style mutual defense commitment
Pakistan seeks to diversify military supply chains amid 80% reliance on Chinese arms
India faces heightened unpredictability in future Pakistan-related conflicts due to expanded regional alliances

Read on The Diplomat ↗

UN investigators find Myanmar military increasingly using drones and motorised paragliders to target civilians
Attacks on civilians have risen steadily since July 2023
Escalation noted ahead of the December 2023 and January 2024 elections
Military seeks to project stability and legitimacy despite heightened violence

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

Iran announced the Strait of Hormuz will stay closed until the United States complies with its demands
The closure could disrupt roughly 20% of global oil shipments that normally pass through the strait
Analysts warn the move may push Brent crude above $80 per barrel and lift WTI similarly
The statement raises geopolitical tension in the Middle East and could raise shipping insurance costs

Read on Investing.com Commodities ↗

Israeli air strike in Beit Lahiya killed one civilian, Mohanad Saada, and wounded five others.
The strike targeted a three‑wheeled tuk‑tuk vehicle; Israel said it aimed at a Hamas commander.
The attack follows a week of reduced air raids and comes after Israel rejected President Trump's peace plan.

Read on Al Jazeera ↗ also: SCMP Economy

Senators urge Treasury Secretary and the Treasury's sanctions chief to impose new counter‑evasion measures against Russia
Lawmakers argue existing sanctions are insufficient to stop Russian entities from evading restrictions
Potential legislative or executive actions could be pursued in the coming weeks to tighten sanctions

Read on Investing.com News ↗

DHS estimates purchase cost between $10 million and $20 million, to be completed by March 2027
Gloves can deliver up to 380 volts to distract subjects, according to manufacturer specifications
Rights groups warn the devices could be used against protesters and immigrants, sparking backlash

Read on Al Jazeera ↗

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia, killing over 200 people
China pledged to provide relief assistance in line with Colombia's request
No Chinese nationals were reported injured or killed in the disaster
The aid offer comes as Colombia's new president pivots toward the United States

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

Pentagon assessment reports 153 civilians killed and 243 injured by US strikes in Yemen in 2025
All civilian casualties came from three April strikes, with the Ras Isa fuel port attack causing 80 deaths and 171 injuries
Casualties represent a sharp rise from 2024, when only two civilian deaths and injuries were recorded
The review notes no condolence payments required and that 15 additional incidents are under review

Read on Al Jazeera ↗

Hegseth said the ICC could investigate US boat strikes that have killed at least 221 people since September 2025
Colombia became the 19th country to join the "Shield of the Americas" coalition targeting drug cartels
Campaign claimed to cut narco‑vessel movements by 65% in the Western Caribbean, 60% in the Eastern Caribbean, and nearly 50% in the Eastern Pacific
U.S. State Department plans a $1 billion security package to support Colombia's anti‑narco operations

Read on Al Jazeera ↗

Task force created to end birth tourism after Supreme Court rejected Trump’s citizenship restriction
More than 600 non‑immigrant visas revoked in the new crackdown
State Department says it will use all tools to protect integrity of US citizenship

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

Moroccan interior ministry increased security after a social‑media campaign urged mass attempts to enter Ceuta on Aug. 15.
Late July saw roughly 72,000 irregular crossings; about 2,000 people, including ~1,000 minors, remain in Ceuta.
Seven Moroccan taxi drivers were sentenced to up to six months in prison and fined $1,070 each for facilitating border crossings.

Read on Al Jazeera ↗

Repeated drone strikes target oil and electricity facilities in Libya
Fuel supplies are threatened as attacks disrupt production and transport
Power outages intensify, worsening the country's electricity shortage
Rival factions vie for control of the strategic Az Zawiya region

Read on Al Jazeera ↗

Damascus court sentenced Bashar al-Assad, brother Maher, and six former officials to death in absentia
Verdicts address alleged murders, disappearances and torture during the 14-year civil war
New Syrian government calls the rulings a landmark step, sparking debate on the scope of transitional justice

Read on Al Jazeera ↗

Defence minister Israel Katz vows troops will stay in all three security zones under any circumstances
Statement follows a withdrawal deal for Israeli forces from southern Lebanon signed two months earlier
The pledge may heighten regional tensions and affect diplomatic efforts in the Middle East

Read on Al Jazeera ↗

Report by 7amleh and Utrecht University documents 3,520 cases of digital rights violations against Palestinians (2021‑2025)
Only 32.5% of suspensions had a clear policy violation; 57.2% were tied to Meta’s "Dangerous Organizations and Individuals" policy
For journalists, 71.1% of account actions were justified using the DOI policy
Influencer Faten Elwan’s Instagram reach dropped from 30,000 views to a few hundred after reinstatement

Read on Al Jazeera ↗

Iraqi Prime Minister declares September 30 as the fixed, final date for ending the US-led coalition mission.
U.S. officials confirm the pullout will be completed by that deadline, concluding a presence that began in 2003.
The withdrawal will leave Iraq free of foreign military forces, with future U.S.-Iraq ties focused on economic and security cooperation.
U.S. troop levels peaked at over 170,000 in 2007; current numbers remain undisclosed.

Read on Al Jazeera ↗

China and Uzbekistan launched the Samarkand-2028 hyperspectral satellite for agriculture and environmental monitoring.
The satellite includes an Uzbek-developed AI module that processes data onboard, cutting transmission volume.
The initiative is framed as soft‑power scientific cooperation, extending China's footprint in the region.

Read on OilPrice ↗

Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on Friday.
The pact aims to stabilise the Middle East amid the US‑Iran conflict and shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea.
Erdogan said he hopes additional nations will join the agreement to broaden its security impact.

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

China's National Natural Science Foundation announces joint workshop with Iran on rare earth exploration and processing
The programme lists rare earths among five selected cooperation areas
Collaboration aims to safeguard Chinese processing technologies from overseas transfer

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

KMT’s Cheng Li-wun frames Taiwan’s autonomy through ‘self-restraint’ to avoid military conflict, not through assertive sovereignty
Expert analysis argues structural U.S.-China rivalry constrains Taiwan’s strategic choices regardless of domestic political narratives
KMT’s emphasis on ROC constitutional framework contrasts with DPP’s focus on Taiwanese democratic identity, but both face Beijing’s zero-sum sovereignty stance

Read on The Diplomat ↗

Prime Minister Takaichi signals potential revision of Japan's Three Non-Nuclear Principles amid national security debates
Defense Minister Koizumi acknowledges nuclear deterrence discussion as unavoidable for Japan's defense strategy
Open debate on nuclear policy marks a historic shift from Japan's long-standing pacifist taboo

Read on The Diplomat ↗

Ascendant left-wing Democrats are expected to push US foreign policy further 'inward'.
This shift could move the US away from big-power rivalry, according to a Chinese political scientist.
A Chinese scholar suggests Beijing should reconsider the notion that all US political factions take a hard line on China.

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

PLA Navy deployed Type 054A frigate Honghe for the inaugural joint exercise with Indonesia
Indonesian Navy participated with frigate KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai
Drill held in waters east of Taiwan, covering communications, formation manoeuvres, at‑sea replenishment and passing exercises

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

Former Premier Zhu Rongji died at age 97 in Beijing after a prolonged illness
He supervised China's accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001
He modernized China's financial system during his tenure as premier

Read on Nikkei Asia ↗

Japan pledges financial and technical assistance to Gulf nations to rebuild war‑damaged infrastructure.
Support targets oil production and power facilities in the United Arab Emirates and other affected states.
Aid aims to secure a stable energy supply from the Persian Gulf amid the U.S.–Iran conflict.

Read on Nikkei Asia ↗

Karoline Leavitt will leave the press secretary role by month‑end to focus on family after second child
Trump said she will stay on as an outside advisor and influential voice within the Republican Party
Leavitt follows recent senior staff departures, including former AG Pam Bondi and ex‑Sec. of Homeland Security Kristi Noem

Read on Al Jazeera ↗ also: CNBC Top News·SCMP Economy

11-year-old boy wounded in head and leg by Israeli forces in Khan Younis.
Gaza Government Media Office says Palestinian casualties since Oct ceasefire total at least 1,259 dead and 4,146 injured.
Incident reported on 12 August 2026.

Read on Al Jazeera ↗

New rule prohibits any country engaged in armed conflict from hosting the contest.
Minimum age for performers will be increased (new level not disclosed).
Change follows Israel's recent second-place finishes amid the Gaza war, though no country was named.

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

Families gathered in Beirut on Aug 12, 2026 to protest the detention of relatives by Israel
Protesters say they have received minimal information about the detainees' status
Human‑rights groups allege Israel denies due process and Red Cross access to the detainees

Read on Al Jazeera ↗

Hong Kong leader John Lee pays tribute to Zhu Rongji for supporting the city during the 1997 Asian financial crisis
Zhu Rongji remembered for his commitment to the 'one country, two systems' governing principle
Chief Executive John Lee expresses profound sorrow over Zhu's death

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

China approves new Japanese acting consul general in Chongqing
8-month vacancy at the mission ends following a bilateral freeze
Shigehiro Nishiumi assumes the post on August 4

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

David Crowley secures victory in Wisconsin election
Result viewed as a setback for the progressive groundswell
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani ends his honeymoon with the city
Europe's new passport system creates confusion for travelers

Read on WSJ Markets ↗

Tech/AI 32

Revenue beats estimates at $582.3M, up 5.9x from AI cloud unit
Signed 4 AI cloud deals averaging $1B each, with total contract value nearly quadrupling
Capital expenditures top $5.7B, exceeding analyst expectations

Read on Channel NewsAsia Business ↗

CoreWeave's commentary supports AI chip longevity, boosting data center stocks
Older Nvidia GPUs may have longer useful lives than anticipated, increasing ROI
CoreWeave signs contracts for A100 chips extending into 2029 at attractive prices

Read on CNBC Top News ↗

Researchers used AI to discover Zoom vulnerabilities in <20 prompts, enabling silent device hijacking via screen sharing
Affected all Zoom-supported OS (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android) with no victim interaction required
Zoom issued fixes; AI lowers barrier to cyberattacks, raising concerns over trusted platforms

Read on Ars Technica ↗

AI code review startup CodeRabbit raised $143 million in a funding round, valuing the company at $1.5 billion.
The round was co-led by Atomico and Smash Capital, with participation from new investors including BMW i Ventures and Datadog.
Investors are betting on increased demand for software monitoring and code fixes due to the surge in AI-generated code and sophisticated cyberattacks.
CodeRabbit conducts over 2 million code reviews weekly for more than 17,000 customers, including Nvidia and BMW.
The company plans to expand further in Europe and enter Asian markets, while also investing over $10 million to keep its AI tools free for open-source projects.

Read on Channel NewsAsia Business ↗

Chinese companies shifting focus from solar equipment to AI-enabled industrial tech
New generation of companies targeting global markets from inception
Goldman Sachs analysts identify 'Go Global 3.0' era in China

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

Pixel 11 starts at $899 with 256GB storage and a camera bar 40% thinner than the previous model
Pixel 11 Pro starts at $1,099; Pixel 11 Pro Fold is 10% lighter, 1mm thinner, and adds a 48MP camera with 30x zoom
Pixel Tag tracking device priced at $29 (or $99 for a four-pack) to rival Apple AirTag
Pixel Watch 5 health updates; 41mm model $399, 45mm $429, Stephen Curry edition $579
Gemini AI adds Live Transcribe for ASL and the Rambler voice-input feature for more natural speech

Read on TechCrunch ↗ also: CNBC Top News·Ars Technica

Twitch will use creators' videos and audio to train Amazon generative AI unless streamers manually opt out
Live Q&A drew nearly 3,000 viewers as community voiced strong opposition to the default opt‑out model
Amazon gains access to thousands of hours of livestream content for AI model training
Twitch added an opt‑out toggle in channel settings, but uncertainty remains about content already used

Read on TechCrunch ↗ also: Ars Technica

Around 70% of Japanese companies say AI is not yet fully integrated
Only about 15% have deployed AI at scale across core operations
Lack of skilled talent and unclear ROI are cited as primary obstacles

Read on Investing.com News ↗

Approximately 195 TB of credentials leaked from the compromised LiteLLM package
Data affected more than 2,500 entities, including Microsoft, Amazon, Cisco, Samsung and Salesforce
The breach occurred within a 40‑minute window in March
Attack leveraged compromised versions of LiteLLM hosted on the Python Package Index

Read on Ars Technica ↗

Fusion long joked as always 30 years away, but recent breakthroughs have shortened the timeline
Private investment and AI-driven research have accelerated progress over the past five years
MIT's framework seeks to align capital, risk models, and policy to enable commercial-scale fusion

Read on OilPrice ↗

Northrop's Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV) launched with three Mission Extension Pods (MEPs) on a SpaceX Falcon 9 in July.
The MRV will attach an MEP to Optus's 2009 satellite in 2027, potentially adding six more years of service.
Existing Mission Extension Vehicles have already provided a decade of life extension to three satellites, with MEV-2 operating until 2030.
The MRV is designed for in‑orbit refueling and could service multiple high‑value satellites, shifting the business model toward reusable extensions.
Lower launch costs and modular components are enabling a new market for satellite repair and upgrades.

Read on TechCrunch ↗

Shares dropped 16% in extended trading after Q2 revenue missed estimates ($180.1M vs $194.2M expected)
Q2 adjusted gross margin fell to 40.6% from 46.5% in the prior quarter
2026 revenue outlook raised to $880‑$890M and margin target to 41‑43%, up from $855‑$865M and 38‑41%
Cloud business revenue quadrupled to $126M YoY, while hardware sales fell to $54.1M from $70.3M
Plans to expand manufacturing capacity >10x and support a $20B multiyear OpenAI compute agreement

Read on Channel NewsAsia Business ↗

ANPD gave Discord three business days to suspend its "Go Live" livestreaming tool nationwide.
The order follows a 45‑minute livestream in which a 13‑year‑old was encouraged to self‑harm and died by suicide.
Five teenagers were arrested, and police say another minor was rescued from a similar livestream attempt.
Regulators said Discord cannot analyze live video in real time, exposing minors to harmful content.

Read on Al Jazeera ↗

Open-weight models eliminate the high cost barrier of training foundation models, making them widely accessible.
Geoffrey Hinton says the battle over open weights is lost, as they are now a permanent fixture in AI.
Andrew Ng warns that China’s open-weight models could dominate developing markets and influence soft power.
Fei‑Fei Li advocates a nuanced approach, likening AI openness to regulated nuclear research.

Read on TechCrunch ↗

JCB Hydromax achieved a two‑way average speed of 406 mph (653 km/h) at Bonneville Salt Flats
First hydrogen‑combustion engine to exceed 400 mph, establishing a new record for hydrogen‑powered cars
JCB began developing its own hydrogen combustion engine in 2020 after abandoning fuel‑cell technology
Hydrogen engine aims to replace diesel in JCB equipment, supporting UK carbon‑emission targets

Read on Ars Technica ↗

Nightmare Eclipse revealed ShieldBreak, a zero‑day that impacts Windows 10, 11 (25H2) and Server 2025
The flaw bypasses Windows Defender, allowing privilege escalation to full system access; no patch released yet
Microsoft confirmed awareness and is investigating, amid prior legal‑threat controversy over zero‑day disclosures

Read on TechCrunch ↗

Applications jumped 50% YoY to 726 from 39 countries
AI projects account for 84% (609) of all applicants
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan each have six startups in the regional final
Prize pool totals $100,000, with top three winners receiving $50k, $30k, $20k plus OpenAI credits
22 startups advance to regional final on Aug 12, three will go to TechCrunch Battlefield 200

Read on TechCrunch ↗

YMTC-backed fund takes stake in SOI Micro
SOI Micro focuses on FD-SOI technology for low-power chips
Investment supports China's alternative chipmaking ecosystem

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

Philippines promotes a US-led Pax Silica hub to move up the semiconductor supply chain
Top diplomat Jose Manuel Romualdez warns the country could lose the opportunity if it "drops the ball"
Neighbouring countries are also courting US-linked supply chain investments, heightening competition
Analysts suggest rivals may be better positioned to deliver the hub

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

Total foreign investment in Japan's chip industry reaches 6 trillion yen ($37bn) after the Sony‑TSMC deal.
TSMC commits 3 trillion yen to two Japanese foundries, including a new facility in Kumamoto.
Sony Group will build an image sensor plant, adding to the overall investment total.
Tokyo's subsidy program supports the influx of overseas capital into the semiconductor sector.

Read on Nikkei Asia ↗

Anthropic will embed invisible code in Claude's text to comply with the EU AI Act's transparency rules
The watermark is designed to allow downstream systems to detect AI‑generated content
Reddit users show mixed responses: some label it draconian, others view it as a sensible safeguard
Critics warn the watermark could penalize ordinary users such as students and journalists
No immediate market impact or price movement observed

Read on TechCrunch ↗

ShieldFont replaces whole words with ligature-based substitutions visible only in rendered view
Scrapers that download raw HTML receive a nonsensical version, while users see normal text
Positioned as a practical opt‑out for web publishers against unauthorized AI training data collection
Created by designers Isaque Seneda and Gabriel Abrucio; white paper released August 2026

Read on Ars Technica ↗

Mesh CRM released on Google Play for phones, tablets and foldables
Supports split-screen, pop-up view, keyboard shortcuts and home-screen widgets
Free tier covers up to 1,000 contacts; paid tiers add unlimited contacts and AI features
Around 70% of Mesh users employ the app for business networking
Early-access Nexus AI lets users query contacts by company, location or expertise

Read on TechCrunch ↗

AI research often targets high‑profile challenges, overlooking lucrative niche markets
Significant fortunes could be hidden in under‑served sectors where AI adds value
Redirecting effort toward these gaps may unlock new revenue streams for tech firms

Read on WSJ Markets ↗

AI notetaking hardware has expanded to cards, pendants, earbuds and now voice‑focused rings
Sandbar's ring aims to capture stray thoughts and convert them into actionable summaries
Industry sees wearables as the next growth frontier for AI‑driven productivity tools

Read on TechCrunch ↗

Creator Studio app now available on iOS in the United States and Canada
AI assistant provides personalized posting times and comment insights
App adds AI-driven comment drafting and daily priority feed for creators
Launch follows Meta's recent releases of Forum, Instants, Pocket, and StoryKit

Read on TechCrunch ↗

ANPD ordered Discord to halt its "Go Live" livestreaming feature until child‑protection measures are proven
Discord must prove compliance within three business days or face fines up to 50 million reais per violation
The measure follows a probe after a 13‑year‑old girl was allegedly persuaded to take her own life in an online group
Discord can appeal the decision within 10 business days, with a further appeal to ANPD's board possible

Read on Channel NewsAsia Business ↗

Tech companies are purchasing used rare books to feed AI training pipelines
Booksellers warn that many physical copies could be permanently lost as pages are shredded
The scale of the practice may be larger than current reports suggest

Read on Ars Technica ↗

Google's Quick Share now enables tap-to-share for contact information, photos, and videos between compatible Android devices.
Users can initiate an "instant, two-way exchange" by bringing devices close together.
The update mirrors Apple's NFC-powered NameDrop feature, enhancing device interoperability.
The feature is rolling out on Pixel 6 and newer devices, with Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Fold8, and Flip8 to follow.
Broader device support is expected by year-end.

Read on TechCrunch ↗

Honor launches Robot Phone with 3-axis mechanical gimbal camera for video stabilization and interactive nodding
Aims to differentiate in cooling global smartphone market with novel hardware feature
Camera activated by hand gesture, unfurling from device back via motorized mechanism

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

Tech entrepreneur Keith Li King-wah to rebuild David Webb's 27-year-old database using AI
Project aims to bring the database 'into the modern era'
Database was created by late Hong Kong corporate governance activist David Webb

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

HateAid lodged a criminal complaint alleging Meta's Ray‑Ban Meta Wayfarer glasses breach German digital privacy law
Complaint also targets EssilorLuxottica, retailers Fielmann, Apollo‑Optik, Mister Spex and MediaMarkt
Germany's digital crime prosecution unit ZIT received the filing and will conduct a preliminary probe
Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) says smart glasses are permitted only if recording function is visibly indicated

Read on Channel NewsAsia Business ↗

Companies 66

Goldman Sachs will acquire active ETF provider Neos Investments for as much as $2.25 billion.
Neos manages $30 billion in assets across 19 options-based ETFs, designed for income generation and risk mitigation.
The acquisition aims to strengthen Goldman's asset management unit, capitalizing on growing demand for derivative income ETFs.
The deal, expected to close in Q1 2027, will propel Goldman's active ETF assets to $80 billion.
This follows Goldman's earlier $2 billion buyout of Innovator Capital, another options-based ETF provider.

Read on Channel NewsAsia Business ↗ also: MarketWatch Top Stories·Cointelegraph

Q2 revenue up 11% YoY to 204.8 bn yuan, meeting LSEG estimate of 202.2 bn yuan
Net profit rose 0.7% YoY to 56 bn yuan, below analysts' 61.8 bn yuan expectation
AI-driven advertising revenue jumped 22% to 43.6 bn yuan; Q2 capex rose to 52.8 bn yuan
Domestic gaming revenue grew 17% to 47.3 bn yuan, while overseas gaming fell 0.8% to 18.6 bn yuan

Read on Channel NewsAsia Business ↗ also: Nikkei Asia

Shein's expected IPO valuation cut to $30-40 billion from $100 billion peak
Investors question growth prospects due to slowing sales, rising costs, and changing market conditions
Morgan Stanley estimates fair value range of $39-52 billion, based on 18-24 times projected 2027 earnings

Read on Channel NewsAsia Business ↗

Wintermute reportedly plans to invest $1 billion.
The investment will target AI infrastructure development.
Funds are also allocated for high-frequency trading operations.
This strategic move is part of the company's expansion into traditional finance (TradFi).

Read on Cointelegraph ↗

Trial starts Aug 18 in Oakland, expected to run up to seven weeks with 29 states as plaintiffs
States allege Meta designed addictive features and illegally collected children's data
Potential damages cited as high as $1.4 trillion, close to Meta's $1.5 trillion market cap
Plaintiffs request age restrictions, removal of infinite scroll, and limits on algorithmic content
Recent related rulings include a $567 million judgment in New Mexico and a settlement with a Kentucky school district

Read on Channel NewsAsia Business ↗

Bank of America will allocate $250 billion over the next decade to AI and energy infrastructure.
The investment targets U.S. critical sectors, aiming to boost domestic AI capabilities and grid modernization.
Funding will be deployed through the bank’s capital markets and lending platforms, joining peers with similar pledges.

Read on WSJ Markets ↗

President Michael De Luca sold approximately $16 million worth of WBD shares
The transaction was disclosed in a recent SEC Form 4 filing
The sale represents a modest portion of his holdings and does not affect company operations

Read on Investing.com News ↗ also: Investing.com News

COMAC’s C919 narrow-body jet operated first international flight (Beijing to Ulaanbaatar) on Air China’s daily service
C919 remains reliant on foreign components (e.g., CFM engines by GE/Safran) and lacks major regulator certifications
COMAC delivered only 32 C919s by end-2025 vs. Airbus’ 100 narrow-body deliveries to China in 2025 alone

Read on CNBC Top News ↗ also: Nikkei Asia

The Intercept and Freedom of the Press Foundation filed a federal lawsuit against President Trump and Trump Media & Technology Group.
The complaint alleges the Truth API charges $60,000‑$100,000 per month for real‑time access to presidential posts.
More than 10 customers had subscribed to the service as of August 10, according to the filing.

Read on Al Jazeera ↗

ANZ's net profit edged higher year‑over‑year, beating forecasts
Mortgage applications fell after recent property tax reforms
Revenue growth was modest, offset by tighter credit conditions

Read on Investing.com News ↗

Warren Buffett retired as CEO on Jan 1, ending a 60‑year tenure at Berkshire Hathaway.
Greg Abel, with the firm since 1999, succeeded Buffett as CEO while Buffett stays chairman.
Chinese investors have long treated Berkshire meetings as a 'north star,' and its future appeal depends on Abel's stewardship.

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

Ford will increase Lincoln vehicle production in the United States beginning in 2030
Imports of Lincoln models from China will be phased out for the U.S. market
The shift is projected to generate thousands of direct and indirect U.S. jobs
Ford assembled over 2 million vehicles in the U.S. in 2023, the highest among automakers

Read on CNBC Top News ↗

Nebius posted earnings that beat expectations
CoreWeave delivered strong results alongside Nebius
Investor sentiment turned positive toward neocloud stocks

Read on MarketWatch Top Stories ↗

Stock rose 44% month-to-date, driven by strong demand for cybersecurity solutions
Shares are up 113% since the AI model first flagged the company as a pick
AI prediction highlighted the firm's growth potential ahead of earnings
Sector outperformance reflects broader market shift toward security technology

Read on Investing.com Economy ↗

Lumentum shares surged after reporting better‑than‑expected earnings
The rise reinforces optimism in the optical‑networking market
Investors now focus on Coherent's upcoming earnings for further momentum

Read on MarketWatch Top Stories ↗

Thunder Bridge Capital Partners V priced its initial public offering at $261 million
The IPO will be listed on the Nasdaq exchange
The offering size places the company among mid-sized U.S. listings this quarter

Read on Investing.com Economy ↗

Loss of $2.37 per share versus expected loss of $0.15 per share
Revenue $14.4 million, down 5% YoY and missing $20.6 million consensus
Transaction volume surged 147% to $5.3 billion despite revenue decline
Average tokenized assets under management hit a record $4.3 billion

Read on CoinDesk ↗

Lee McIntire, former CH2M Hill and TerraPower executive, named CEO of Fermi
Fermi stock up roughly 23% since Monday following the leadership change and new lease
Company signed TensorWave as its first binding customer for the Project Matador campus
Project Matador will use nuclear reactors to power data centers in Amarillo, Texas

Read on TechCrunch ↗

Q2 revenue $180M missed LSEG consensus of $194M
Adjusted loss per share 5c versus expected 17c
Full-year core revenue guidance raised to $880M‑$890M from $855M‑$865M
Shares fell about 14% in extended trading after earnings release
Company projects gross margin of 38%‑40% for the current quarter

Read on CNBC Top News ↗

Activist investor Bill Peltz's consortium is lining up a bid to acquire Wendy's.
The proposal would take the fast‑food chain private, removing it from the NYSE.
No price or valuation details have been disclosed; talks are ongoing.

Read on Investing.com Economy ↗

Profitability trends improve, with margins expanding year‑over‑year.
Management projects a sizable increase in sales for the upcoming fiscal year.
Analysts caution that the current momentum may be difficult to sustain.

Read on MarketWatch Top Stories ↗

SpaceX shares increase following optimism about its AI unit's growth prospects.
The company aims to generate significant revenue from its Grok AI platform.
Investors view the AI push as a diversification beyond rocket launches.

Read on MarketWatch Top Stories ↗

Alphabet stock slipped after news of Nvidia's $500 billion financing program for AI and custom chips
The financing deal, backed by major Wall Street investors, could intensify competition for Alphabet's AI hardware
Analysts view the development as a bearish signal for Alphabet's near‑term earnings outlook

Read on MarketWatch Top Stories ↗

Cisco's revenue rose 18% year‑over‑year, driven by AI‑related sales
The company projected 2027 revenue well above prior expectations
Shares dropped after the earnings release, ending lower despite the strong results
Management highlighted an AI “supercycle” as a long‑term growth catalyst

Read on MarketWatch Top Stories ↗

CoreWeave stock jumped 19% in a single session
The surge helped lift other shares tied to AI build‑out
AI‑focused equities gained on heightened sector optimism

Read on WSJ Markets ↗

Wendy's stock jumped more than 14% following Financial Times report of a Trian Fund Management takeover proposal
Trian, backed by BlueFive Capital and franchisee Flynn Group, holds a 7.85% stake; Nelson Peltz personally owns 16.24% of Wendy's
The chain has reported six straight quarters of same‑store sales declines, with the stock up about 4% year‑to‑date
Trading was temporarily halted due to heightened volatility

Read on CNBC Top News ↗

Production to resume next week after a seven‑month shutdown
Workforce will be 1,400 employees at the Ohio facility
Shutdown began in January due to a drop in EV consumer demand
Tennessee JV now produces energy‑storage system batteries instead of EV cells
Samsung SDI purchased GM's stake in the Indiana EV battery joint venture

Read on Channel NewsAsia Business ↗

Elliott named six potential directors for Northern Star Resources (ASX: NST)
The nominations follow failed talks with Australia's largest gold miner
Activist push aims to increase Elliott's influence on the company's governance
Northern Star's board will review the candidates at its upcoming meeting

Read on Northern Miner ↗

Cisco forecasts FY2027 revenue of $72.2‑$73.4 bn, above analysts' $68.69 bn estimate
AI infrastructure orders expected to reach $7.5 bn in FY2027 after $9.3 bn in FY2026
Q4 revenue rose 17.6% to $17.25 bn, beating the $16.82 bn consensus
Adjusted gross margin for Q1 projected at 65‑66%, slightly under the 66.1% market view
Shares slipped >4% in after‑hours despite a 60% YTD gain

Read on Channel NewsAsia Business ↗

Short interest fell to about 11% of public shares, down from a peak of 34% last week.
Shares jumped 11% to around $148, roughly 41% above the Aug. 3 low and 10% above the IPO price.
Lockup expiration added 911 million shares (~7% of total) to the tradable float, cutting short interest percentage.
Further lockup releases slated: 319 million shares on Aug 20, ~700 million in September, and similar volume in October.

Read on CNBC Top News ↗

FTC settlement totals $23.8 million, to be paid to 640,038 consumers
Most recipients will receive checks; some will be paid via PayPal
Allegations include misleading driver earnings and up to 325,000 unauthorized restaurant listings
Grubhub must improve earnings disclosures, allow account challenges, and obtain restaurant consent before listing
Settlement follows a recent $25 million deal for 60,000 California drivers

Read on TechCrunch ↗

Paramount Skydance is considering selling CNN amid a lawsuit by 12 states, led by California.
The antitrust case targets the proposed $110 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, citing a 27% share of US theatrical releases.
Paramount Global stock rose 1.1% and Warner Bros. Discovery stock rose 1.4% in midday trading after the remarks.
Selling CNN would not resolve the core antitrust concerns, which focus on market concentration.

Read on Al Jazeera ↗

Cognition raised $1 billion at a $26 billion valuation in May.
New round could target at least a $40 billion valuation tied to $1 billion annualized revenue run rate.
Current annualized revenue run rate is $492 million, with enterprise usage of Devin up 50% month‑over‑month.
Notable customers include Mercedes‑Benz, NASA and Goldman Sachs.

Read on TechCrunch ↗

Raised $2 billion in new funding, valuing the company at $12 billion
Backed by investors including SoftBank, D1 Capital Partners and Altimeter Capital
Plans to launch a third platform for regulatory services on physical assets, leveraging OpenAI partnership
Current accounting arm serves over 50 firms, processed 7,000 tax returns at 98% accuracy, cutting prep time >30%
Shield IT arm accelerated help‑desk resolution 36‑fold and doubled AI agent deployments last month

Read on TechCrunch ↗

Google announced a DeepMind leadership overhaul on Aug 5, naming Koray Kavukcuoglu as chief AI architect
Gemini flagship version delayed by two months after internal tests showed it lagging rivals
Google shares fell roughly 4% on the day the reshuffle was disclosed
Two original Gemini technical co-leads quit to launch a startup
Co-founder Sergey Brin urged AI staff to accelerate development and focus on recursive self-improvement

Read on Channel NewsAsia Business ↗

Pipper Standard, a Bangkok-based brand, gains recognition in Asia's wellness market with its natural daily-use products.
The brand's patented pineapple fermentation technology, 'Pineapple Power,' transforms Thailand's pineapple into high-performance, biodegradable cleaning and softening agents.
Pipper Standard's products are available in over 15 Asian markets, spanning home care, laundry, personal care, baby care, and pet care.

Read on Bangkok Post Business ↗

A Manhattan lawsuit seeks to block Trump Media's Truth API that sells advance post access for $60,000‑$100,000 per month.
The service provides faster access to market‑moving posts from Trump and nine other top accounts on Truth Social.
Trump Media has signed more than 10 customer agreements for the API, charging $60,000‑$100,000 monthly per client.
The suit alleges the scheme violates the First and Fifth Amendments and is "extraordinary, corrupt, and unconstitutional."
Since taking office in January 2025, Trump has posted between 9,000 and 11,000 times on Truth Social.

Read on CNBC Top News ↗

Project Crystal Sun could cost up to $10.1 billion
Factory would create about 9,700 full‑time jobs
Tax liability without incentives estimated at $1.1 billion over 37 years
Groundbreaking slated for 2024 with completion targeted for 2028
First solar panels expected to roll off the line in 2029

Read on TechCrunch ↗

Form Energy raised $750 million in a Series G round led by T. Rowe Price
Funding will scale iron‑air batteries capable of discharging up to 100 hours
U.S. energy storage installations rose 32% YoY to 9.7 GWh in Q1 2024
Form's backlog grew to about 80 GWh, a fourfold increase from earlier this year
Customers include Google (30 GWh project) and Crusoe (12 GWh order)

Read on TechCrunch ↗

Raised $400 million in Series C, valuing Lovable at $13.3 billion
Previous round in Dec raised $330 million at $6.6 billion valuation
Reported $500 million annualized run‑rate revenue in June
Hosts 60 million projects and 900 million monthly visitors
Signed multiyear Google Cloud deal, five‑fold increase in usage

Read on TechCrunch ↗

FY 2026 revenue projected above $828 billion, up 15.5% YoY
FY 2027 CapEx forecast near $280 billion, matching EBITDA of over $280 billion
Current valuation ~22× FY 2027 adjusted EPS of $12.35 per share
Trade idea: sell 240 Sep 25 put, sell 300 Sep 25 call, buy 320 Sep 25 call
Stock has been flat since a 15% jump after July 30 earnings, with few near‑term catalysts

Read on CNBC Top News ↗

Minute Media ended the $250 million VideoVerse acquisition in May 2026 after discovering significant discrepancies.
Founder Vinayak Shrivastav is sued for alleged $64 million loan fraud and forged signatures on merger documents.
Investors and creditors, including Bluestone Capital and Lingotto, claim tens of millions of dollars are missing from the deal.
VideoVerse’s AI clipping platform Magnifi, used by IPL and FIFA+, is now under scrutiny as the startup faces multiple legal actions.

Read on TechCrunch ↗

NioCorp Developments' Elk Creek project in Nebraska valued at $3.4B
Net present value increased by 46% after product range expansion
Project expansion more than doubles product range

Read on Northern Miner ↗

Gold Fields' Salares Norte mine in Chile offsets weaker production at Gruyere (Australia) and Tarkwa (Ghana)
Salares Norte expected to drive 2024 production growth despite mine closures elsewhere
Gruyere and Tarkwa face declining output due to operational challenges

Read on Northern Miner ↗

Indian court throws out fraud allegations targeting Adani executives and subsidiaries
The dismissal removes a major legal risk for listed Adani entities such as ADANIPORTS and ADANIENT
Flight‑tracking platform sues Kalshi over alleged misuse of data in flight‑cancellation prediction markets
Trade groups lobby the FTC to scale back its emerging AI‑regulation focus

Read on WSJ Markets ↗

CoreWeave Q2 revenue doubled to $2.58 billion, narrowly beating forecasts
Net loss narrowed to $626 million, better than analyst expectations
Backlog stands at $104 billion; Q3 sales forecast $3.45‑$3.6 billion and FY revenue $12.4‑$13.2 billion
Shares jumped ~16% in pre‑market trading; IREN and Cipher Digital each rose ~5%
AI infrastructure demand outpaces crypto, with Bitcoin trading below $64,000

Read on CoinDesk ↗

Net profit fell 87% to 1.54bn baht versus 12.13bn baht in Q2 2025
Revenue rose 8.5% YoY to 48.62bn baht, driven by a 20.3% increase in passenger yield
Total expenses jumped 29.7% YoY, with fuel costs up 104.6% year‑on‑year
ASK declined 4.4% and RPK fell 11.3% YoY, pushing cabin factor to 71.5% from 77.0%
Cash and cash equivalents stood at 123.76bn baht as of June 30, 2026

Read on Bangkok Post Business ↗

Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran will resign effective February 2027.
He has led Tata Sons for a decade since 2017.
Departure follows internal rift over an IPO and broader business challenges.

Read on Nikkei Asia ↗

CEO Michael Chiang told investors on Aug. 12 that Nvidia's new modular AI server platform will boost Foxconn's share
Foxconn cites its large manufacturing scale and integrated supply chain as a competitive advantage
New entrants are targeting AI server demand, but Foxconn remains confident it can expand its position

Read on Nikkei Asia ↗

MUFG plans to enable near‑real‑time settlement for select JGB repo transactions using blockchain
The new system aims to cut the current settlement cycle, which can take a day or longer, to seconds
Tokenised money‑market funds and a stablecoin will be used to facilitate the blockchain‑based trades

Read on Nikkei Asia ↗

FlightAware voluntarily dismissed its lawsuit against Kalshi without prejudice, allowing possible refiling
Kalshi's aviation contracts recorded only 31,412 contracts traded, $1,842.48 volume, and 1,120 open interest
Retail participation in the flight‑cancellation niche is minimal versus Kalshi's $148 billion total volume this year

Read on CoinDesk ↗ also: Cointelegraph

CTO Tsao sold shares valued at $928,600.
The sale was disclosed in a recent regulatory filing.
No immediate effect on company operations was indicated.

Read on Investing.com News ↗

Annual profit fell 42% year‑on‑year to AUD X million
Revenue from the Americas region dropped Y% due to weaker demand
Management cited lower consumption and pricing pressure in key markets
The profit slump may prompt a review of cost‑saving measures

Read on Investing.com News ↗

CEO Bill Wilson sold $829,700 worth of Townsquare Media shares
The sale was disclosed in a recent SEC filing
No details on the number of shares or percentage of holdings were provided

Read on Investing.com News ↗

EVP bought and sold shares of California Resources Corp totaling $642,978
Transactions involve common stock only
No indication of net increase or decrease in EVP's holdings

Read on Investing.com News ↗

Attributable profit rose 3.2% to A$2.24 bn, missing consensus of A$2.30 bn
Mobile revenue grew 3.2% to A$11.37 bn, with ARPU up across all segments
Announced an additional share buyback of up to A$1 bn after a A$1.25 bn program
Final dividend increased to 10.5 c per share from 9.5 c last year
Forecast FY2027 EBITDAaL of A$8.5‑8.8 bn and cash EBIT of A$4.75‑4.95 bn

Read on Channel NewsAsia Business ↗

CEO Haytham Hodaly outlines how the streaming model is performing in the current market environment
Streaming agreements continue to give investors exposure to precious metals without direct mining risk
Wheaton Precious Metals aims to expand its streaming portfolio while managing operational costs

Read on Northern Miner ↗

TSX:BGAU began drilling at the Rosebud open-pit, heap‑leach project in Nevada
Hole BG26-027 intersected broad mineralized zones near historic underground mines
Findings bolster the prospect of an open‑pit, heap‑leach mining operation

Read on Northern Miner ↗

Apex Critical Metals (CSE: APXC, US-OTC: APXCF) reported new drill intercepts exceeding 4% total REO at the Rift project in SE Nebraska.
The high-grade results broaden the known zone of rare earth mineralization, enhancing the project's ranking among U.S. rare earth assets.
The company plans further drilling to delineate the expanded resource and advance potential development.

Read on Northern Miner ↗

Helix hacking group alleges theft of mailboxes, cloud storage and accounts‑payable files from Uber Freight
Uber Freight reports no impact on business operations and says systems are running normally
Google estimates the gang earned at least $10.6 million in ransom payments from Jan‑May 2024

Read on TechCrunch ↗

CFTC invoked emergency authority to keep the prediction market exchange running
Trump administration directed Kalshi to remain active under the Commodity Exchange Act
New York Attorney General Letitia James sued Kalshi on July 31 seeking an injunction and restitution

Read on Ars Technica ↗

Recall includes instant baby congee (expiry 22 Jun 2027) and three instant rice-shaped pasta flavours
Pasta varieties recalled: salmon & cream, tomato & chicken, vegetable & beef
Production of all three pasta lines has been suspended pending investigation

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

Government to require deals with at least 8 media companies (up from 6) under revised media bargaining law
5% of funds raised to support Australian Associated Press (AAP), reviving non-profit newswire service
Tech firms to pay 2.5% of Australian ad revenue, with single-deal cap set at 25% of levy liability

Read on Channel NewsAsia Business ↗

Revenue rose 80% YoY to $4.3 bn, driven by digital asset sales
Net loss of $19 m versus $38.3 m profit a year earlier; adjusted EBITDA loss of $4.2 m
Client count up 26% to 5,833 and platform assets up 31% to $65.2 bn
CFO Ed Reginelli will exit next quarter; share buyback authorized up to $50 m
Shares fell about 5% after earnings release

Read on CoinDesk ↗

Sharp was acquired by Foxconn (Hon Hai) in 2016, marking a decade under its ownership
Ex-president Katsuhiko Machida criticizes the shift away from Sharp's focus on unique products
Machida describes the Foxconn-led strategy as "negative" for Sharp's innovation

Read on Nikkei Asia ↗

Chase offers up to $3,000 bonus for new Chase Private Client Checking with $500k deposit
Total Checking + Savings combo yields up to $900; Secure Checking pays $175
Promotions expire Oct 14, 2026; no bonuses for existing Chase customers

Read on CNBC Top News ↗

Thai Markets 9

GPF plans to increase AI‑related investments as part of its portfolio
Target allocation to Thai equities set at roughly 5% of total assets
Projected annual returns for the new allocations are 2.7%–3.7%
Fund views AI and Thai market as safe havens amid global volatility

Read on Bangkok Post Business ↗

Bualuang Securities forecasts the SET index to rise above 1,700 points by next year
A global manufacturing recovery and returning foreign capital are expected to lift Thai equities
AI and data‑centre investments are identified as key growth drivers for the market
Sectoral gains of up to 5% are anticipated in technology‑related stocks

Read on Bangkok Post Business ↗

Chinese arrivals forecast at 5.1 million in 2024, a 14% increase from the 2025 low benchmark
Seat capacity on Thailand‑China routes rises 8.7% to 8.47 million seats, with Bangkok accounting for 83% of flights
First half of 2024 recorded 2.6 million Chinese tourists in Thailand, outpacing Japan's 2.1 million
64% of Chinese outbound travelers are under 35 and two‑thirds earn 5,000‑19,999 yuan per month, fueling demand for experiential trips
TAT launches joint promotions with airlines, OTAs and Chinese social‑media platforms to attract younger travelers

Read on Bangkok Post Business ↗

Grab holds ~70% of ride-hailing market in 2024; Bolt projected at ~45% by 2026, forming a behavioral duopoly
GrabFood and Line Man Wongnai together control 80-90% of food‑delivery volume in 2026, with ShopeeFood at ~10%
TCCT received 68 complaints this year, 17 related to digital platforms, prompting a subcommittee to draft new guidelines by Aug 18
Regulators flag opaque dynamic pricing, below‑cost fares and self‑preferencing as practices under scrutiny

Read on Bangkok Post Business ↗

Revised budget increased by 18.25bn baht to 122.72bn baht overall
Chumphon‑Surat Thani section cost rises to 36.89bn baht (up from 30.42bn)
Surat Thani‑Hat Yai‑Songkhla section cost rises to 77.46bn baht (up from 66.27bn)
Construction slated to start July 2027 with project spans of 48‑72 months
Around 300 communities may be relocated for flood‑mitigation viaducts

Read on Bangkok Post Most Recent ↗

Rules to take effect in Q4 2024, adding upfront deposits and a Type 9 electricity tariff for new data centres
Developers must post a guarantee of 4.5 million baht per megawatt and prove commercial operation within 5‑7 years
Facilities up to 500 MW will be required to install battery storage and may incur ancillary service charges if they trigger emergency generation
Regulation will favor hyperscale centres that generate jobs and tax revenue over crypto mining or passive storage

Read on Bangkok Post Business ↗

PM Anutin Charnvirakul signed a request for a Royal Command to dismiss NBTC chair Dr Sarana.
NBTC selection committee voted unanimously on July 17 that Dr Sarana has a prohibited characteristic under Section 8(2).
The commission failed to achieve a quorum for the fourth time after the Aug 11 meeting was disrupted.
Dr Sarana says he resigned from Mahidol University and Ramathibodi Hospital on Jan 8, 2022 and worked as an independent doctor.
The dispute raises concerns over NBTC's ability to oversee telecom matters, including the True Corp‑DTAC merger.

Read on Bangkok Post Most Recent ↗

Approved roughly 1 million of 10 million loan applicants, leaving about 9 million rejected
Reduced credit cost to around 10% from roughly 20% in its first year
First half 2026: 930,000 loan customers (+15% YoY) and loan portfolio of 29 bn baht
Aims to reach 2 million borrowers and a 50 bn baht loan book within three years
Generated its first net profit in 2025; future growth tied to economic conditions

Read on Bangkok Post Business ↗

Thailand launches a new government bond program with a $3 minimum investment
Targeted at retail investors to boost savings amid household debt near 80% of GDP
Scheme aims to deepen the domestic bond market and reduce reliance on foreign borrowing

Read on Nikkei Asia ↗

Other 42

Deal valued at $12.5bn, setting a record for a North American sports franchise
Purchase by venture capitalist Josh Kushner and former Disney CEO Bob Iger pending board approval
Previous owner Mark Walter acquired the Lakers for $10bn last year
Lakers' valuation rose from $10bn to $12.5bn within a year
Deal follows a federal probe into Mark Walter's broader financial holdings

Read on Al Jazeera ↗ also: CNBC Top News

A total solar eclipse was visible in Iceland and Spain on 12 Aug 2026
The eclipse's path of totality spans 290-300 km across Europe
It marks Europe's first total solar eclipse in 27 years
Crowds gathered in both countries to watch the darkness

Read on Al Jazeera ↗ also: SCMP Economy

Trump signed a national security memorandum permitting federal law enforcement to use private‑sector cyber tools against foreign transnational criminal organizations
Participating companies must maintain a bond or escrow of at least $1 million
DHS and the Department of Justice will oversee a program for cyber surveillance and "cyber effects" operations targeting ransomware, fraud and related crimes
The framework encourages private firms to partner with government agencies to gather threat intelligence and propose cyber operations

Read on Channel NewsAsia Business ↗

More than 2,000 deaths reported out of over 4,300 confirmed cases
Outbreak may surpass 2014-16 West Africa crisis that killed >11,000 people
Rare Bundibugyo strain has no approved vaccine or treatment
Containment hindered by remote terrain, conflict and health‑worker strikes

Read on Al Jazeera ↗

Solar companies are building dual-purpose farms that keep agricultural activities viable under panels
The model addresses criticism that solar farms displace arable land
Combining farming with solar aims to boost clean power output while maintaining food production
Industry hopes the approach will expand renewable capacity without reducing farmland

Read on OilPrice ↗

Hackers claim to have posted data of 15 million Kazakhstani citizens for sale on dark web.
Alleged breach linked to eGov service; ministry says no confirmed evidence of system compromise.
Follows a previous leak of 16.3 million records in June 2025.
Seller values the dataset at about $32,000; includes passports, phone numbers, emails, passwords.
Kazakhstan's AI and digital development ministry has opened an investigation amid broader AI initiatives.

Read on The Diplomat ↗

Formula E has signed a multiyear deal to broadcast races on Disney+ and ESPN+ in 144 countries, starting with Season 12 in December.
The new agreement provides live coverage of every ePrix, from practice to race, replacing Roku as the US broadcaster from next season.
Formula E's CEO Jeff Dodds called it a "landmark moment" for the championship, aiming to reach millions of new fans globally.
The series will debut its new GEN4 car in December, featuring double the power (603 hp nominal, 804 hp in Attack Mode) and all-wheel drive.
The GEN4 car's power output will be comparable to a 2027-spec Formula 1 car for much of a lap.

Read on Ars Technica ↗

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned that President Trump’s proposed overhaul of child vaccination policy in the US goes against “decades of evidence”.
Trump signed an order pushing for a rethink of school vaccine mandates.
The order reiterated calls for the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine to be administered as three separate shots.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jnr, who founded an anti-vaccine group, has promoted a disproved link between the MMR shot and autism.

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

Honda has formalised a collaboration with Tata Group, signalling deeper foreign‑local ties in India.
The partnership trend aims to curb capital‑expenditure pressures by sharing costs and local expertise.
Other global carmakers, including Toyota and Hyundai, are also pursuing similar joint‑venture arrangements.
India's auto market remains fiercely competitive, prompting firms to adopt the China playbook for growth.

Read on Nikkei Asia ↗

Heidi Beirich, 59, arrested on wire fraud, false statements, and money‑laundering charges.
Indictment alleges over $4 million in donor funds diverted to informants between 2007‑2023.
Justice Department says SPLC misled donors; SPLC and supporters claim charges are politically motivated.

Read on Al Jazeera ↗

11 people indicted for a network that arranged over 1,000 sham marriages
Scheme targeted Chinese nationals seeking green cards and involved at least 14 active-duty soldiers
Marriages took place between May 2023 and August 2025, with soldiers stationed at a Kentucky base
Indictment filed in a New York federal court; specific identities of many participants not disclosed

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

BMA inspected 948 entertainment venues between July 19‑Aug 4, with 209 meeting safety standards
632 outlets required improvements; 580 were asked to correct, 52 ordered to fix, and 107 ordered to close
Inspections target over 1,000 venues across seven northern districts, focusing on fire safety, escape routes, and flammable materials
The campaign follows the July 12 fire at Na Ladprao beer hall that killed 37 people

Read on Bangkok Post Most Recent ↗

Central Committee approved 8,545 vacancies but 15,520 candidates were appointed.
Score mismatches revealed; some failed candidates were given passing marks and extra points added to others.
Subcontractor duplicated result data and may have manipulated scores.
Recommendations include revoking unlawful appointments, recovering salaries, and creating a fraud offenders database.
More than 3,000 pages of evidence submitted to the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

Read on Bangkok Post Most Recent ↗

Government proposes three-year fixed-term licences for firearm possession
Paper licences to be replaced by a real-time electronic tracking system for imports, sales and transfers
Cabinet suspends issuance of purchase permits and all current carry permits have expired

Read on Bangkok Post Most Recent ↗

Spousal benefit can be claimed at age 62 at 50% of husband's full benefit
Own retirement benefit can be delayed until age 70, increasing by roughly 8% per year after full retirement age
Switching to the higher personal benefit at 70 may yield a larger monthly payment than the spousal benefit

Read on MarketWatch Top Stories ↗

Karoline Leavitt will leave the press secretary role at the end of the month, staying on as a senior advisor.
Leavitt, 28, is the youngest ever White House press secretary and mother of two children.
Her exit coincides with declining Trump poll numbers and the upcoming November midterm elections.
Leavitt previously served in Trump’s first term and the 2024 campaign, and announced her second child's birth in May.
She recently reshaped White House media credential policies to favor pro‑Trump outlets.

Read on Bangkok Post Most Recent ↗

Magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on Aug 10, 2026
Hundreds killed and thousands reported missing two days later
Hospitals face supply shortages while communications outages hinder rescue
Rescuers continue searching collapsed buildings for survivors

Read on Al Jazeera ↗

Beijing Spectrometer III (BES III) experiment reports convincing evidence of glueballs
Findings detailed in arXiv preprint 2607.20366 released in July 2026
Results were presented at the International Conference on High Energy Physics (ICHEP) last week

Read on Ars Technica ↗

At least seven people confirmed dead after hillside collapse in Maharashtra
Heavy rains on Wednesday caused the landslide that hit residential houses
Several others were injured; rescue operations underway
The incident occurred in the Mumbai region of western India
No economic or market impact reported

Read on Al Jazeera ↗

Trust, Accountability and Inclusion Collaborative says current financing leaves junior miners unprepared for ESG requirements
Lack of resources to address environmental and social concerns leads to longer approval timelines
Delays increase overall project costs and hinder timely development of new mines

Read on Northern Miner ↗

50% of Americans living paycheck to paycheck would struggle with a one‑week pay delay.
61% say their pay schedule doesn’t align with bill due dates, worsening cash‑flow gaps.
Credit‑card solutions highlighted include Chase Freedom Unlimited’s $200 bonus after $500 spend and 0% intro APR for 15 months.
Tips advise prioritizing essential bills, cutting non‑essential spending, and contacting landlords or issuers for payment extensions.

Read on CNBC Top News ↗

Eclipse crossed Iceland, Britain and parts of Europe, with totality lasting roughly two minutes
First total solar eclipse in Europe in 27 years, observed by millions
Approximately 15 million people experienced near‑total darkness along the path of totality
Partial eclipse visible across much of Western Europe, Northwest Africa, Canada and the northern US

Read on Al Jazeera ↗

At least 200 DHS-owned drones repurposed for animal‑health surveillance
More than 1,000 drone flights conducted since June
Over 22,000 animals inspected for New World Screwworm infestations
First screwworm cases reported in South Texas in June 2026

Read on Ars Technica ↗

Thousands of families have fled their homes in Baidoa amid severe, years‑long drought.
Prolonged drought has led to loss of livestock and farms for hunger‑stricken households.
Sharp reductions in humanitarian aid have intensified the crisis for displaced people.

Read on Al Jazeera ↗

Horonobe Underground Research Lab tests geological disposal of high-level nuclear waste in sedimentary rock
JAEA and OECD/NEA launched 2023-2029 international project with 10+ countries to validate repository designs
Japan’s broader repository search remains stalled; only two municipalities agreed to preliminary surveys

Read on The Diplomat ↗

Hong Kong's subdivided flats are turning into heat traps during hot weather
Temperature in some homes exceeds 40°C (104°F), outpacing nearby monitoring stations
Residents struggle with limited cooling options, highlighting urban planning issues

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

Finance director of Hong Kong Chu Hai College remanded in custody
Suspected embezzlement of HK$41 million (US$5.2 million) over three years
Wife and contractor also denied bail for handling illicit proceeds

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

Last villagers to leave Cha Kwo Ling squatter settlement by August 25
Area to be redeveloped for public housing
Residents face displacement and potential loss of community

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

Malaysia to use palm oil to cool data centres due to water scarcity
Researchers develop palm-based liquid to reduce water usage
Palm oil to support Malaysia's expanding digital infrastructure

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

19-year-old university student arrested for swindling HK$3m
Student allegedly impersonated mainland Chinese officials
Police warn youngsters to stay vigilant against scams

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

24 of 28 elevators in the new block malfunctioned, delaying clinical service launch
Contractor Anlev Elex Elevator criticized by lawmakers over lift failures
Project valued at HK$13.5 billion (US$1.72 billion) may face further postponement

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

The amoeba, first identified in 1986, has caused roughly 200 human cases globally.
About 90% of infections with this pathogen have been fatal.
The Washington toddler experienced rapid symptom escalation, leading to death despite hospital care.

Read on Ars Technica ↗

PSG defeat Aston Villa 2-1 to claim back-to-back UEFA Super Cup titles.
Desire Doue scored in the 61st minute after VAR review confirmed on‑side.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia opened scoring in the 20th minute; Brian Madjo became youngest scorer in a Super Cup final.

Read on Al Jazeera ↗

Etna has been spewing ash and lava for several consecutive days
Catania airport shut, halting flights to Sicily
Tour operators report a flood of bookings for night hikes to view the eruption

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

Cambrian Explosion (600-540M years ago) may have been fueled by first poop pellets
Poop spread nutrients to deeper ocean layers, enabling larger and more diverse animals
Research links waste recycling to rapid evolutionary diversification

Read on Ars Technica ↗

A Hong Kong court ordered a retrial for a murder suspect after a jury failed to reach a verdict.
The jury deadlocked on whether the suspect committed the crime while suffering from a delusion of electromagnetic harassment.
The 23-day High Court trial of former software developer Matthew Choi concluded with a hung jury.

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

National Cultural Heritage Administration issued a notice to all museums to improve emergency management during the summer peak season.
Recent incidents include a power outage at the Terracotta Warriors museum in Xi'an and reports of blackouts, AC failures, and overcrowding.
The notice calls for a nationwide cultural safety review to address operational failures and public safety concerns.

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

East (dong) represents sunrise, spring, hope and prestige
South (nan) symbolizes midday, summer, growth and vitality
West (xi) denotes sunset, autumn, decline and maturity
North (bei) stands for night, winter, death and introspection

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

Driver, 71, died after losing consciousness in tunnel crash.
47 children on board were unharmed; one 53‑year‑old passenger suffered minor hand injury.
Incident occurred around 3:30 pm as bus headed toward Tsuen Wan.

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

40% of surveyed local governments say bear complaints strain operations
17 councils reported disruptions, with 10 facing phone calls longer than an hour
5 councils overwhelmed by website grievance volume
Survey covered 40 prefectural and municipal councils

Read on SCMP Economy ↗

Delta flight 591 (Las Vegas arr Atlanta) reported a spoofed Wi-Fi signal on Monday.
Passengers who attended the DEF CON security conference are suspected of jamming the onboard network.
Pilots communicated the issue via ACARS, prompting federal law‑enforcement attention.

Read on Ars Technica ↗

Eight victims killed and 22 injured in shootings on Aug. 7 in Nonthaburi province
Shooter, a 14-year-old student, first killed his grandparents before attacking the school
Five teachers, one female student, and the shooter himself died in the incident

Read on Nikkei Asia ↗