Climb

• Western Digital shares rose 3.64% to $426.46 following the release of robust fourth-quarter earnings and updates on AI infrastructure developments. • The stock climb follows the company's publication of an upbeat revenue outlook for the fourth quarter of 2026. • This growth reflects renewed investor confidence in the company's ability to capitalize on the expanding demand for artificial intelligence hardware.

• East Asian economies are facing potential instability as the period of rapid capital spending and high demand for artificial intelligence technology begins to cool. • Frenzied demand for AI chips and advanced memory modules has recently driven economic growth in China, Taiwan, and South Korea while providing a tailwind for Japan. • A sudden drop in AI investment would create an economic shock for these regions because their current growth is heavily tied to the production of tech hardware.

• United States 10-Year Treasury yields climbed today as investors worried the Federal Reserve might hold interest rates steady instead of hiking them. • The rise in yields coincided with a market dip, including a 0.3% drop in the S&P 500 and a 0.4% decline in both the Dow Jones and NASDAQ. • Higher Treasury yields increase the discount rate used to value future corporate earnings, which draws investment capital away from stocks and into bonds.

• Asia-Pacific stock markets traded unevenly recently as rising U.S. Treasury yields and weakness in technology stocks pressured investor sentiment. • Australia’s ASX 200 dropped by 0.91% to 8,669.90, while South Korea’s KOSPI saw a slight increase of 0.02% to 6,685.69. • Mixed performance across these major indices indicates that volatility in the U.S. bond market is directly impacting equity valuations for regional investors.

Housing market has been stymied by borrowing costs, as mortgage rates marched higher amid war between the US and IranSales of previously occupied US homes declined in August to their slowest annual pace in more than a year as home shoppers grappled with rising mortgage rates and home prices.Existing home sales fell 2% last month from July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.98m units, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday. This is the third straight monthly decline. Continue reading...

• U.S. Treasury yields rose recently after investors reacted poorly to the size of government buybacks. • The yield on the 10-year Treasury note climbed to its highest level since November 2023. • Higher yields increase borrowing costs for mortgages and corporate loans, tightening financial conditions for consumers and businesses.

• Asian chip stocks rose and Brent crude oil prices climbed toward $100 per barrel amid intensifying Middle Eastern conflicts and AI investor enthusiasm. • South Korea's Kospi index gained one percent, driven primarily by growth in major semiconductor firms. • Rising oil prices increase operational costs for global transport and manufacturing, while chip stock growth signals continued market confidence in AI technology.

• A top Iranian official announced that Tehran will establish an exclusion zone outside the Strait of Hormuz to increase control over tanker traffic. • IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stated there is currently no engagement with Iran, as the country refuses to cooperate until a broader political agreement is reached. • This move threatens the stability of global oil and gas prices, which are already climbing due to the potential for disrupted shipping in the strategic waterway.

Officers clipped to bridge had tried to talk man, who was holding a knife, into coming down safely, officials sayNew York City police shot and killed a man on Friday morning after he climbed onto the cables of the Brooklyn Bridge and approached officers with a knife extended, New York police department officials said.At a news conference Friday, NYPD officials said that a 911 call came in at around 3.28am on Friday morning, reporting that a man was walking on the beams of the Brooklyn Bridge. Continue reading...

• South Korean stocks rose alongside a general climb in Asian equities, with MSCI’s Asia-Pacific equities gauge increasing by 0.3%. • The market gain was driven by cooling bets regarding the U.S. Federal Reserve's potential interest rate movements. • This shift reflects investor sentiment reacting to macroeconomic signals and a stabilization of expectations surrounding U.S. monetary policy.

• Global stock indexes mostly rose following a three-day decline as investors sought bargain opportunities despite ongoing geopolitical tensions. • The Japanese yen surged and US Treasury yields eased as market participants closely monitored the evolving conflict between the US and Iran. • Analysts suggest a tension exists between strong US economic growth, which supports corporate earnings, and the risk of higher interest rates.

Rescue workers and military personnel have been working around the clock since Wednesday’s disaster‘The flood took everything I have’: survivors grieve for relatives and homes swept away in NepalChinese rescuers find ‘nothing but ruins’ at border crossing as Nepal seeks help to ID and store the deadThe risk of a lake formed after the glacier collapse bursting near the China-Nepal border where the ⁠devastating flood occurred earlier ⁠this week has decreased, ​Chinese authorities said today, as its size appears to have shrunk.Satellite images from Thursday this morning suggest water in the lake – straddling the China-Nepal border ⁠at the confluence of two rivers – has been slowly flowing through, decreasing the reservoir gradually, state broadcaster CCTV reported, citing the Water Resources Ministry. Continue reading...

Airline declines to predict impact of new carry-on luggage charge on Jetstar revenue or ticket sales, saying it is offering customers ‘choice’Qantas has recorded its lowest pre-tax profits in four years, at $2.06bn, after the US war on Iran pushed up its fuel costs by $610m.Australia’s national airline also announced it would phase out its Airbus A380 models as it prepares to add new planes to its fleet, handing down annual results on Thursday. Continue reading...

• Major U.S. stock indices climbed today, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average leading gains at +0.67%, followed by the S&P 500 at +0.37% and the Nasdaq 100 at +0.10%. • The market rally is being driven by a combination of stabilizing crude oil prices and a significant surge in Bitcoin's value. • E-mini S&P futures (ESU26) also showed positive momentum, rising by +0.30% as investors react to these stabilizing commodity and crypto trends.

• The FTSE 100 closed at 10,743.35 points on Wednesday, marking a gain of 15.31 points (0.14%) over Tuesday's close. • The London benchmark outperformed other European indices, which remained cautious due to volatility in semiconductor and AI infrastructure stocks. • This resilience is attributed to the FTSE 100's heavy sector composition in energy, financials, and defensive consumer goods rather than a specific national economic trend.

• The U.S. national debt has reached a record high of $40 trillion, driven by consistent government spending exceeding tax revenue. • Key contributors to this surge include rising defense costs, funding for social programs, and increasing interest payments on the existing deficit. • This financial milestone is the result of spending patterns that have persisted across several presidential administrations.

• U.S. stock futures are climbing on Thursday as investors anticipate the release of new inflation data. • Technology shares are seeing early gains, although Cisco Systems shares dropped 6% following the release of its fourth-quarter financial results. • The positive movement in futures comes despite major market indexes recording overall losses for the week.

Mortgage and student loan balances saw ‘small decline’ with increases elsewhere, says post alongside Fed reportCredit card debt in the United States is growing close to a record high, having creeped up from $54bn to $1.26tn between April and June compared with the same period last year, according to a report by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.That figure is just shy of last year’s record high of $1.28tn. Continue reading...

Jacob ‘Jake’ Whisenant died in Sequoia and Kings Canyon wilderness in ‘climbing-related incident’, authorities sayA 30-year-old California climber known for breaking speed records died after falling in the Sierra Nevada wilderness last week, according to authorities.Jacob “Jake” Whisenant, from Mammoth Lakes, California, died in the Sequoia and Kings Canyon wilderness on 3 August, according to the Tulare County sheriff’s office coroner unit and the National Park Service (NPS). Continue reading...

• Oil prices have climbed following Iran's signal that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed despite a potential management agreement with Oman. • Iran stated that reopening the vital waterway is contingent upon the United States meeting a specific list of conditions. • The situation is critical as the Strait of Hormuz is a primary global transit point for oil, and continued closure threatens global energy stability.

• South Korea's KOSPI index surged over 5% on Wednesday, bringing its two-day recovery to a total of 7% after a significant selloff in July. • The rally was driven by record highs on Wall Street tied to AI earnings, strong demand for semiconductor leaders like Samsung, and falling oil prices. • Lower energy costs were attributed to ongoing peace deal negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, boosting investor confidence.

• Asian stock markets surged on Wednesday, led by Japan’s Nikkei, which climbed 3.0%, and South Korea, which added 4.1%. • The rally was driven by strong corporate earnings and a renewed appetite for technology stocks following record highs on Wall Street. • Oil prices and bond yields declined amid hopes for progress regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

President claims delay is ‘subject to being able to rapidly make a deal’ as intervention by Saudi crown prince is revealed and Iran warns neighboursDonald Trump said on Saturday night that the US would hold off on any new strikes on Iran provided a deal to end the months-long conflict is quickly reached – marking the president’s latest climbdown from extravagant threats to hit the Tehran regime hard.The Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman called Trump on Saturday to express concerns about his strike plans, it was reported. Trump’s reversal also came after Iran threatened to retaliate decisively against its neighbours in the event of US strikes, while Kuwait reported being hit by Iranian drones on Saturday and two ships were attacked off Oman in the strait of Hormuz. Continue reading...

Rescuers say four bodies found in search for team caught in Broad Peak avalanche, after trackers showed rapid descentThe world-renowned Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja – a former British Special Forces member – is among 10 climbers caught in a deadly avalanche on Pakistan’s Broad Peak.Rescuers on Friday said four bodies had been found and efforts were under way to retrieve them despite the harsh weather. Two of the dead have been identified: Pur Bahadur Gurung, a Nepali citizen, and Nadhira Alharthy, who was the first Omani to climb Everest. Continue reading...

• The UK stock market rallied today, with the FTSE 100 reaching a new intraday record high near 10,988. • The climb was driven by positive global market momentum, upbeat corporate earnings, and broad-based buying across the FTSE 250, 350, and All-Share indices. • Market performance was heavily influenced by energy giants like Shell and BP, as well as positive economic indicators including strong retail sales and PMI data.

• Asian stock markets climbed, led by South Korea's KOSPI which surged 18% following a Wall Street rally and rebounds in Samsung and SK Hynix. • Other regional movements included slight gains for Australia's S&P/ASX 200 (0.1%) and India's Nifty 50 (0.2%), while Singapore's Straits Times index fell 0.8%. • The Bank of Japan maintained its current interest rates, providing a stable monetary backdrop for the region's trading activity.

• Indian IT stocks rallied on Tuesday, reversing a period of underperformance and bucking a broader global technology slump. • The surge was driven by strong earnings reports, specifically from Coforge, which posted significant increases in both revenue and profit. • Market optimism is being fueled by easing global AI pressures and positive sentiment regarding artificial intelligence integration.

• Asian stocks rose on Monday, July 25, 2026, as hopes for a truce between the U.S. and Iran led to a significant tumble in oil prices. • The decline in energy costs is helping to alleviate global inflation and interest-rate pressures for investors. • This market shift occurs just before critical policy meetings for the Federal Reserve, Bank of England, and Bank of Japan scheduled for this week.