Stock Market Today: Dow, S&P Live Updates for July 31 - Bloomberg

• On July 30, 2026, the Indian stock market closed in the green, with the Sensex and Nifty 50 driven higher primarily by gains in auto stocks. • In China, the central bank maintained the reverse repo rate at 1.25%, while foreign phone shipments surged 66% despite regulatory scrutiny in the solar sector.

• Key economic indicators are scheduled for release, including the Bank of England's interest-rate decision and U.S. data on GDP, jobless claims, and June PCE inflation. • Market analysis suggests a six-year structural deficit is amplifying upside potential for precious metals as monetary conditions shift.

• South Korea's KOSPI index plummeted more than 33% in July, marking its worst single-month performance in history and surpassing declines seen during the 1997 and 2008 financial crises. • The crash was driven by a combination of cooling global AI stocks, a Bank of Korea rate hike, SK Hynix's disappointing earnings, and reports of China producing its own DUV lithography machines.

• The KOSPI index fell 44% and the SOXX semiconductor index dropped 30%, signaling significant volatility in the tech sector. • South Korea's market is particularly vulnerable due to its heavy reliance on Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and the broader memory-chip industry.

• The number of companies launching initial public offerings (IPOs) on the KOSPI has dropped to its lowest level in 25 years. • Only one KOSPI IPO has occurred so far this year, a decline analysts attribute to strict government regulations regarding overlapping listings.

• A severe market crash in South Korea has resulted in significant financial losses for approximately 700,000 retail traders. • The rapid decline occurred over a 48-hour window, causing widespread panic among household investors who were previously encouraged to enter the market.

• South Korea's Kospi index plummeted over 11% on Wednesday, marking a significant 43% drop from its June peak of 9,386 to 5,311.77. • The crash was driven by intense selling pressure on heavyweight chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, despite both companies reporting strong earnings.

• The KOSPI closed 1.23% lower at 5,593.56 on the 30th, failing to reach the 6,000 threshold despite record Q2 earnings from Samsung Electronics. • Market sentiment was negatively impacted by rising U.S. Treasury yields and escalating tensions in the Middle East, though Ecopro and Ecopro BM both rose approximately 4%.

• Asian stock markets experienced a general decline, with South Korea's KOSPI erasing previous gains of 5% despite strong financial results from Samsung. • Other regional indices also trended lower, including Australia’s S&P/ASX 200, which fell 0.7%, and Singapore’s Straits Times Index, which slipped 0.9%.

• Asian stock markets showed mixed performance as investors processed the latest Federal Reserve policy decision and recent earnings reports from Samsung. • South Korea's KOSPI index managed a rebound, contrasting with other regional markets that remained volatile.

• The KOSPI index closed at 5,593 on July 30, following a day of extreme volatility and a decline led by the semiconductor sector. • The KOSDAQ index also saw a significant downturn, dropping by over 2% by the end of the trading session.

• The BSE Sensex rose by 274 points and the Nifty closed at 24,317 on Thursday, driven by strong performance in the auto, oil, and gas sectors. • In contrast to the main indices, the broader markets struggled as the Nifty MidCap and Nifty SmallCap declined by 0.35% and 0.56%, respectively.