KOSPI slides after stellar quarter; Japan, China rise on strong PMIs By Investing.com

• Indian markets are trading in positive territory, with the Nifty Pharma index emerging as a top gainer due to strong export demand and stable earnings expectations. • Overall gains are being restricted by geopolitical instability, specifically reports that Iran has rejected diplomatic discussions with visiting US envoys.

• European bank stocks experienced a strong rally in the second quarter, contributing to a total sector index gain of approximately 180% since the start of 2023. • Investors are driving this growth based on the expectation of stronger balance sheets and a significant revival in trading revenues and dealmaking.

• U.S. stock markets closed higher on July 1, 2026, with the technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite leading the gains. • The S&P 500 also rose, reflecting a broad increase in value across 500 large companies and overall positive market sentiment.

• Market trading during the final session of the quarter was driven by end-of-quarter repositioning, comments from the ECB Sintra forum, and new economic data. • July inflation figures for EMU members showed slight downside surprises, with Germany reporting HICP of -0.2% M/M (2.4% Y/Y) and France reporting -0.3% M/M (2% Y/Y).

• Consumer spending across Asia is recovering as a result of easing inflation, rising asset prices, and stronger overall incomes. • The recovery remains uneven, with specific vulnerabilities identified in the Philippines and other regional economies.

• Global stock markets in Asia and Europe rose on Tuesday, following a positive trend from Wall Street. • Key indices saw gains including Germany's DAX (+0.8%), Britain's FTSE 100 (+0.4%), and a slight increase in Paris's CAC 40.

• Asia-Pacific markets showed mixed performance following strong first-half gains on Wall Street, which were primarily driven by the semiconductor sector. • South Korea's KOSPI index fell 2.63% to 8,253.22, while financial markets in Hong Kong remained closed for a public holiday.

• Asian stocks mostly rose on Wednesday as investors positioned themselves ahead of critical US employment data. • Market participants are closely monitoring the reports to gauge the Federal Reserve's upcoming decisions regarding interest rate adjustments.

• The Indian stock market opened in the green on Wednesday, marking a positive start to the second half of 2026 for both the Sensex and Nifty 50. • This upward movement follows two consecutive days of losses, signaling a brief recovery in investor sentiment.

• Thailand’s SET Index closed at 1,591.24 points on June 30, 2026, marking an increase of 13.43 points or 0.85%. • The market saw a total trading value of THB 91.87 billion, driven by strong buying pressure in large-cap stocks.

• Netherlands defender Jan Paul van Hecke suffered a "scary blow" during a high-stakes 2026 World Cup match against Morocco. • The incident occurred during a Round of 32 clash, a critical knockout stage game where the winner advances to the next round.