ASIFMA 2026 Asia-Pacific Capital Markets Survey: Top 8 APAC Markets for Ease of Doing Business are Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Japan, India, Taiwan, China Mainland & South Korea, Top 11 Product & Service Lines to Expand are Equities, Fixed Income, FX, Asset Management, ESG & Sustainability, Wealth Management, Investment Banking, Prime Brokerage, Commercial / Corporate / Institutional Banking, Commodities & Custody / Securities Services

• The KOSPI index fell 6.349% on Thursday, dropping below the 8,000 mark and triggering a sell-side sidecar trading halt at the market open. • The decline was primarily driven by losses in semiconductor stocks following a significant overnight selloff in the U.S. tech sector.

• Global investors poured US$8.2 billion into bonds across Thailand, Indonesia, India, and Malaysia in June, marking a peak in inflows for over two years. • This surge in funding occurs despite ongoing market concerns regarding potential interest rate hikes from the U.S. Federal Reserve.

• Asian markets traded lower on Thursday, with South Korea's Kospi and Japan's Nikkei 225 both experiencing declines. • The downturn was primarily driven by a deepening global selloff in technology and chip stocks following a weak trading session on Wall Street.

• South Korea's Kospi index declined amid volatile trading as investors began shifting their focus away from the semiconductor boom. • The downturn extended to Japan, where chipmaker Kioxia, the nation's most valuable company, saw its value plummet by more than 15%.

• Indian markets are expected to open higher on July 2, driven by positive global cues and investor interest in stocks like Maruti Suzuki, Canara Bank, Coal India, and Ola Electric. • V-Mart Retail reported strong Q1 results with revenue increasing 23% year-on-year to Rs 1,089 crore, expanding its network to 591 stores.

• China's manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) grew in June, though the growth rate fell slightly below market expectations. • The data indicates a slower-than-anticipated expansion in the industrial sector, reflecting potential headwinds in production and demand.

• Bitcoin's market performance in 2026 has been primarily driven by macroeconomic factors and global inflation trends rather than crypto-specific technical charts. • Inflation across OECD nations remains stubbornly above central bank targets, preventing the rapid global monetary easing that investors had anticipated.

• Meghan Shue, Chief Investment Strategist at Wilmington Trust, appeared on CNBC’s ‘Squawk Box’ on June 30 to discuss current market trends and positioning. • Shue confirmed that the firm remained fully invested at a benchmark level during the previous quarter's significant market gains.

• The Mexican Peso declined against the US Dollar on Wednesday, with the USD/MXN trading at 17.55, an increase of 0.37%. • The currency drop is driven by overall US Dollar strength and growing speculation regarding the potential cancellation of the USMCA free trade agreement signed in 2020.

• Mexico is experiencing a significant deterioration in public finances, which is narrowing the margin of its investment grade status. • A potential downgrade could trigger forced sales of Mexican bonds by investment-grade exclusive funds and lead to the country's exclusion from global benchmark indices.

• Mehul Kothari, DVP of Technical Research at Anand Rathi Shares, has released top stock buy recommendations for July 1, 2026. • The recommended stocks for investors to consider include NACL Industries, Info Edge (Naukri), and Minda Corporation.

• The Supreme Court ruled on President Donald Trump's attempt to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, a decision that could redefine presidential authority over the central bank. • This ruling is significant as it may reshape how economic policy is managed and the level of independence the Federal Reserve maintains from executive interference.