Asia

• India's men's and women's national football teams have been excluded from the Asian Games 2026 final draw despite their initial qualification. • The exclusion is due to a government policy that only clears teams ranked among the top eight in Asia for participation. • This decision highlights the current struggle of Indian football to break into the elite tier of Asian rankings.

• The KOSPI index climbed back above 7,300 and the KOSDAQ index surpassed 820, marking a significant recovery for both markets. • Intense buying momentum immediately following the market open triggered buy-side sidecar measures, which temporarily suspended program trading to curb volatility. • This surge indicates a strong return of investor confidence and aggressive purchasing activity in the South Korean equity markets.

• Asian stock markets rose on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, following a positive rally on Wall Street. • The surge was triggered by new U.S. economic data indicating that inflation last month was lower than economists had previously anticipated. • This trend is significant as cooling inflation in the U.S. often signals potential shifts in monetary policy, boosting investor confidence globally.

• The World Bank recently upgraded the income status of four Asian countries, including Vietnam and the Philippines, while India remains categorized in the lower-middle-income group. • Despite being the world's fastest-growing major economy, India has failed to move up, highlighting a disconnect between its aggregate GDP growth and the actual rise in per capita income. • This disparity underscores a critical economic challenge for India: ensuring that national wealth translates into higher individual living standards across its vast population.

• The KOSPI index surged by over 6%, closing in the high 7,200s, while the KOSDAQ index also rebounded to close above 820. • This significant market rally was driven by a strong influx of capital from both foreign and institutional investors. • The growth reflects a positive shift in investor sentiment toward South Korean equities, signaling a potential trend of continued recovery.

• South Korea's Minimum Wage Commission has approved a 3.7% increase in the national minimum wage for 2027. • The new hourly rate is set at 10,700 won (approximately US$7.19), marking a continued upward trend in labor costs. • This decision reflects the government's effort to balance worker purchasing power against the operational costs of businesses.

• Asian stock markets showed mixed results, highlighted by a significant rally where South Korea's KOSPI jumped nearly 6%. • Other regional indices, including Japan's Nikkei, Hong Kong's Hang Seng, and Australia's ASX 200, also recorded gains. • In contrast, China's Shanghai Composite remained largely unchanged following reports that the country's GDP growth failed to meet forecasts.