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• The U.S. and Saudi Arabia conducted joint airstrikes targeting Iranian-backed proxy groups located in Iraq. • In retaliation, Iran launched attacks against various sites within Jordan, expanding the geographic scope of the conflict. • These escalations signal a dangerous widening of regional hostilities, dragging more Middle Eastern nations into the direct fighting.

• The Sensex and Nifty 50 declined for the fifth consecutive session on July 24, 2026, with auto and metal stocks acting as primary drags on the market. • Geopolitical disruptions in West Asia have stalled flows in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab-el-Mandeb, pushing oil prices back toward US$100 per barrel. • Market analysts warn that Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) will face volatile near-term earnings as they absorb price fluctuations amid record-low global inventories.

• European shares declined as technology stocks faced pressure from weak semiconductor earnings and growing concerns regarding AI spending. • Energy stocks saw gains as escalating tensions in the Middle East drove up Brent crude oil prices. • Investors are currently cautious and focused on the upcoming European Central Bank (ECB) policy decision to determine future interest rate directions.

• On July 22, 2026, the Indian stock market experienced its sharpest single-day drop in two weeks, with the Sensex falling 715 points and the Nifty slipping below 24,000. • The decline was driven by escalating Middle East tensions, which pushed Brent crude prices above $95 a barrel and sparked fears regarding inflation and economic growth. • While media and realty sectors dragged the indices down, FMCG and auto stocks remained resilient during the volatility.

• Wall Street experienced a downturn on Friday as investors shifted away from the artificial intelligence sector due to growing concerns over frontier AI development. • In contrast to the U.S. market retreat, the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) managed to edge slightly higher. • Global markets are reacting to volatility in tech valuations and a simultaneous jump in oil prices.

• The Citizens' Public Justice (CJP) alleges that activist Sonam Wangchuk was forcibly dragged away from a protest site by authorities. • Opposition leaders have condemned the police action, accusing the government of suppressing peaceful protests rather than addressing the underlying grievances. • This incident highlights escalating tensions between activists and the state over regional issues and the right to public demonstration.

• Wall Street is trending toward weekly losses on Friday as a continued sell-off of chipmakers and AI-related stocks drags down the broader markets. • In Asia, Taiwanese shares plummeted 6.5% following an announcement from TSMC, the world's largest contract chip manufacturer, to invest an additional $100 billion in U.S. fabrication plants. • Market volatility is further compounded by rising oil prices, triggered by the United States launching additional airstrikes against Iran.

• Global stock markets declined on Thursday, led by a slump in AI-related stocks and computer chipmakers, causing the S&P 500 to fall 0.5%. • International markets saw significant drops, with Tokyo falling 2.8% and Shanghai sliding 1.8%, though Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 1.3% following China's approval of Apple Intelligence. • Despite the market dip, U.S. economic indicators remained positive, showing fewer unemployment benefit applications and stronger-than-expected manufacturing growth in the mid-Atlantic region.

• Asian stock markets plummeted on Friday, led by Tokyo's Nikkei 225, which dropped more than 5% due to heavy selling of AI-related shares and computer chipmakers. • Taiwan's markets saw a significant decline of 5.9%, following news that TSMC, the world's largest contract chip manufacturer, intends to invest an additional $100 billion in U.S. fabrication plants. • This downturn reflects a broader global trend where slumping AI stocks are dragging world markets lower, signaling a shift in investor sentiment toward the tech sector.

• Global stock markets declined as shares of computer chipmakers and other AI-driven companies experienced a significant slump. • Major indexes saw notable losses, including a 1.8% drop in Shanghai and a 2.8% decrease in Tokyo. • Hong Kong's Hang Seng index rose 1.3%, bolstered by Alibaba's growth after China's cyberspace regulator approved the Apple Intelligence AI tool.

• Global stock markets declined on Thursday as slumping AI-related shares and computer chipmakers dragged down indexes worldwide. • The S&P 500 fell 0.5%, while international markets saw sharper drops, including a 1.8% decline in Shanghai and a 2.8% dip in Tokyo. • Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index rose 1.3%, bolstered by Alibaba's gains after China's cyberspace regulator approved the Apple Intelligence AI tool.

• Indian stock markets recovered from an early slump on July 13, 2026, with IT stocks showing strength while the realty and metal sectors dragged. • Global sentiment remained cautious as Japan’s Nikkei and South Korea’s KOSPI fell sharply due to geopolitical uncertainty and rising energy costs. • Brent crude prices climbed above $78 a barrel, sparking concerns regarding inflation, corporate margins, and India's import bill.

Foreign ministers will discuss options on Monday but decision on imports is not expected for months The EU has been accused of dragging its feet over upholding international law, on the eve of a long-awaited debate about banning trade with illegal Israeli settlements.EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on Monday will discuss a possible ban on imports from the settlements, against an ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where a UN inquiry found Israel to be committing a genocide, and surging state-backed violence in the occupied West Bank, which has killed at least 235 children. Continue reading...

• Global markets declined on Tuesday as a sharp sell-off in AI-related stocks dragged down the S&P 500 by 0.4%, despite most individual stocks in the index rising. • Significant losses were led by Intel (-9.7%), AMD (-6.5%), and Micron Technology (-4.7%), while SpaceX's xAI business fell 6.8% following its inclusion in the Nasdaq 100. • In the pharmaceutical sector, Vertex Pharmaceuticals dropped 1.4% after announcing a cash acquisition of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals at $85 per share, causing Crinetics' stock to surge 98.7%.

• Asian stock markets declined following a significant selloff of semiconductor shares on Wall Street. • Key indices saw sharp drops, including South Korea’s KOSPI, which sank 4.8%, and Japan’s Nikkei, which fell 1.4%, while the MSCI Asia-Pacific index dipped 1.2%. • Hong Kong's Hang Seng index provided a rare exception to the trend, recording a gain of 0.9%.

• Asian markets declined on Friday, with the MSCI Asia-Pacific index (excluding Japan) falling 1.2% and Japan's Nikkei dropping 1.4%. • South Korea's KOSPI experienced a significant 4.8% plunge, continuing a downward trend following a massive 68% surge in Q2 driven by AI memory chip demand. • Hong Kong's Hang Seng index provided a rare bright spot, bucking the regional trend with a 0.9% gain.

• Asian markets diverged on July 1, with Japan's Nikkei 225 rising slightly while South Korea's KOSPI index tumbled over 2%. • Samsung Electronics led the decline in South Korea, plummeting nearly 6%, with SK Hynix and Kioxia also experiencing significant losses. • The downturn in South Korean tech stocks highlights growing volatility in the semiconductor sector, contrasting with the relative stability of Japanese equities.

• Jasmine Kennedie revealed in an exclusive interview with EW that fellow 'Drag Race' queen Utica dropped out of 'All Stars 11' before filming commenced. • Utica provided a response to the claim via an exclusive statement to EW, addressing the revelation regarding her absence from the competition. • This development clarifies the casting lineup for the upcoming season and highlights the internal dynamics and tensions among the returning queens.

• China's top-secret "Shenlong" (divine dragon) space plane has deployed another unidentified object into low Earth orbit. • This latest release brings the total number of mysterious payloads deployed by the spacecraft to at least nine. • The operation is significant due to the secretive nature of the Shenlong program, as the craft has never been officially photographed.

• Germany's DAX 40 closed as the worst-performing major European index on Friday, June 26, 2026, dropping 1.25% to settle at approximately 24,671 points. • The decline was driven by a broader technology sector rout and a significant "overhang" affecting Rheinmetall, highlighting how political and budgetary shifts can disrupt defense procurement investments. • Despite the index loss, the ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment rose sharply in June 2026, marking its first positive reading since the start of the Middle East conflict.

• South Korea's Kospi and other major Asian indices slumped, with Taiwan's Taiex closing 3.6% lower and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index losing over 2%. • The downturn was driven by a SoftBank rout and investor concerns regarding memory chip demand following price hikes by Apple. • Specific losses included chip giant TSMC, which closed over 2% lower, and Alibaba, which tanked 6% after accusations from Anthropic regarding the exploitation of AI models.

• The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 598 points, bolstered by a surge in Micron shares following strong corporate earnings reports. • Conversely, the Nasdaq was dragged lower as Apple shares fell 5%, triggering broader fears of a technology sector sell-off. • The market initially opened higher, with the S&P 500 rising 0.8% and the Nasdaq gaining 1% before investor sentiment shifted throughout the day.

Kyiv is not taking any risks amid Moscow’s efforts to integrate Minsk ever more closely into its warRussian spy drones flying into Ukraine from Belarusian airspace have sharply increased since the beginning of the year, as senior officials in Kyiv express mounting concern over Belarus’s involvement in the war.Ukraine has stepped up by reinforcing fortifications on its northern border, including anti-tank ditches, concrete “dragons’ teeth” obstacles to block armoured vehicles and new areas of barbed wire. Troops operating along the border say they have noted a jump of about 20% in Russian intelligence drones since January. Continue reading...

• A SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft undocked from the International Space Station on June 16 at 12:25 p.m. EDT (1625 GMT). • The robotic freighter is now beginning a 20-hour journey to return to Earth. • This mission marks the completion of the capsule's delivery and retrieval duties at the orbital laboratory.

• NASA's SpaceX CRS-34 Dragon spacecraft has returned to Earth, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean after completing its mission. • The spacecraft is transporting a significant volume of biological samples, materials samples, and tested hardware from the International Space Station. • This return is critical for research teams on Earth to analyze data that helps NASA prepare humans for exploration beyond low Earth orbit.

• K-pop artists achieved significant success at the Music Awards Japan 2026, with major acts securing top honors. • High-profile winners included BTS, Blackpink, G-Dragon, Jin, and Lee Youngji, highlighting the diverse range of recognized talent. • These wins underscore the enduring popularity and cultural influence of K-pop within Japan, one of Asia's largest music markets.

• The Sensex reclaimed the 74,000 mark and rose over 230 points by midday on June 11, 2026, while the Nifty remained above 23,230. • Market recovery was driven by strong buying in private banks and pharma stocks, which offset losses in the IT sector. • This rebound occurs despite severe volatility in US markets, where the Dow Jones fell 1.87% to 49,918.78 and the Nasdaq dropped 1.98% due to Iran-US military escalation.

• Protesters have blockaded ballot counting centers for six days as of the 10th, demonstrating against a ballot-paper shortage during the June 3 local elections. • The ruling party is facing significant pressure as the "Jamsil protests" continue, specifically concerning public sentiment regarding "fairness" among the 2030 age demographic. • In response to the unrest and systemic failures, the ruling party has signaled a commitment to implement sweeping reforms of the National Election Commission.