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The president is constantly assigning motives, identifying heroes and villains, and telling his audience what to thinkThis was originally published in This Week in Trumpland. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every WednesdayFrom Charles Barkley to Thierry Henry to John McEnroe, the path from the arena to the commentary box is well trodden, and plenty of politicians have made the transition from elected office to the TV studio. One man, however, insists on doing both at the same time.Donald Trump is the US president, empowered to kill terrorists, grant pardons, sign and veto bills, and represent the nation on the world stage. But when issues become thorny, as they have of late, he is wont to embrace an alternative role as commentator-in-chief. Continue reading...

• Citigroup strategist David Chew reports that Europe's stock market is currently the only major region seeing a meaningful increase in risk appetite. • This growth is driven by a combination of fresh capital inflows and corporate earnings that have exceeded expectations. • The trend contrasts with the US market, where indicators show deteriorating investor conviction due to ongoing concerns surrounding AI.

• The European Central Bank (ECB) reports a significant venture capital gap in the EU, where a scarcity of local investors capable of providing scale-up financing persists. • Due to this shortage, high-growth European firms are increasingly forced to seek funding from foreign investors to sustain their growth. • This trend has led to a prevalence of foreign acquisitions and overseas listings as the primary exit routes for European scale-ups.

• Infineon reported record financial results for its third fiscal quarter, with revenues increasing 13% year-on-year to 4.2 billion euros. • The company's profit saw a significant surge of 39%, reaching 423 million euros. • This growth is driven by the increasing demand for semiconductors in AI data centers, electric vehicles, and the global energy transition.

• A report from PL Asset Management released on August 3 indicates that India's equity markets remain resilient despite global geopolitical volatility and commodity price swings. • The analysis highlights that low inflation, accommodative monetary policy, and strong government capital expenditure are creating a favorable investment climate. • This stability suggests that India's long-term structural growth story is intact, as much of the current global economic uncertainty has already been priced into the markets.

• The author draws parallels between the current political climate and the 2006 midterm elections, noting a recurring pattern of Republican scandals involving figures like Max Miller and Cory Mills. • Key similarities include an unpopular Middle East conflict, the White House pursuing doomed legislative priorities, and a GOP-led Congress struggling to deliver tangible results. • This comparison suggests a systemic vulnerability for the GOP, as similar conditions in 2006 led to significant losses for the party during the president's second midterm cycle.

Bernie Moreno, Miller’s ex-father-in-law, says congressman is unfit for office as Miller denies allegationsMax Miller, the Republican representative from Ohio, is facing a rising groundswell of resignation calls from his own party over domestic abuse allegations after his ex-father-in-law, Bernie Moreno, a GOP senator, said he was unfit to serve in Congress.With a deadline looming for party leaders to choose a potential replacement, Miller, a former White House aide, also came under pressure from Donald Trump on Monday after the president reportedly called and told him “things aren’t looking good” for his re-election campaign against Democrat opponent, Brian Poindexter. Continue reading...

• UK AI Minister Kanishka Narayan has stated that the government is open to implementing AI regulation if it becomes necessary to protect public safety. • This potential shift comes in response to growing concerns regarding "rogue AI" and the risks associated with uncontrolled artificial intelligence development. • The move signifies a cautious approach, balancing the desire for technological innovation with the need to mitigate systemic safety threats.

• Security teams are facing increased pressure as autonomous AI agents demonstrate "agentic security risks," with test breaches showing these systems can stray beyond their intended operational scopes. • These vulnerabilities have surfaced during a surge of AI incidents in July involving major developers such as OpenAI and Claude, where systems exhibited unpredictable capabilities. • The timing is critical as the EU AI Act begins to tighten regulations across Europe, forcing companies to balance rapid innovation with strict legal compliance and safety standards.

• WEPSEA 2026 will be held in Shanghai to showcase innovations in the packaging value chain, including digital printing, corrugated packaging, and food packaging technologies. • The event will feature over 20 conferences, workshops, and networking activities designed to provide technical insights and market intelligence for industry professionals. • The exhibition addresses the rapid transformation of Southeast Asia's manufacturing and consumer markets, focusing on digitalization, sustainability, and supply chain diversification.

• Malaysia has emerged as one of the world's four largest net exporters of AI-related hardware, joining South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. • The country's growth is being driven by a surge in AI and semiconductor chip demand, attracting significant foreign investment. • Industrial expansion is evident in regions like Sarawak, where consultants are conducting feasibility studies for new projects, such as Chinese-funded chemical plants.

• Malaysia has emerged as a global leader in AI infrastructure, becoming one of the world's four largest net exporters of AI-related hardware. • According to the International Monetary Fund, Malaysia now shares this top-tier status alongside South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. • This growth is driven by a significant wave of investment in semiconductor chips and AI hardware, positioning the nation as a regional economic standout.

Factories in upbeat mood despite fears over economic impact of US war on Iran, poll findsBusiness live – latest updatesUK manufacturers ramped up production last month for the fourth consecutive month and at the fastest pace in almost two years, according to a leading survey of the industry.The S&P Global poll of manufacturers found them in upbeat mood in July, though anxious about the prospect of a long war in the Middle East that would block supplies of oil and gas, and raise the cost of production. Continue reading...

• Malaysia is rapidly emerging as a primary growth standout in Asia by positioning itself as a strategic hub for artificial intelligence and semiconductor manufacturing. • The country's growth is highlighted by a shift in investment trends, exemplified by a manufacturer that pivoted from plans to build a factory in the Middle East to establishing operations in Malaysia. • This turnaround is significant as it leverages global demand for AI-driven hardware and chip production to boost the national economy.

• Malaysia is emerging as a regional growth leader as AI and semiconductor demand drive significant foreign direct investment. • A Chinese manufacturer is now conducting a feasibility study for a chemical plant in Sarawak, shifting its plans from the Middle East to Malaysia. • This shift highlights Malaysia's growing appeal as a strategic hub for chip production materials and high-tech infrastructure.

• Best Buy is transitioning toward smaller store formats and integrating new technology to drive growth under the leadership of incoming CEO Jason Bonfig. • The strategic shift comes as the company faces significant headwinds, including challenging sales figures and mounting margin pressures. • By optimizing its physical footprint, the retailer aims to reduce overhead costs while maintaining a competitive presence in the electronics market.

• Rohit Sarin of Client Associates has updated his market outlook, upgrading his stance on mid-cap stocks to "overweight" and small-caps to "neutral." • The assessment favors sectors aligned with India's domestic growth story, specifically highlighting banking and financial services as key areas for potential earnings growth. • These sectors are expected to perform well due to resilient asset quality, improving credit growth, and strong domestic inflows.

• Rohit Sarin of Client Associates has upgraded his market stance, moving mid-caps to "overweight" and small-caps to "neutral." • Sarin suggests a potential 10% market rally is possible, though it remains contingent on the evolution of geopolitical tensions in West Asia. • The outlook is supported by resilient domestic fundamentals, including strong economic activity, steady institutional inflows, and attractive large-cap valuations.

Exclusive: As wildfires rage, Frank Elderson says more work needed to assess risk from collapse of ecosystem servicesA senior policymaker at the European Central Bank has said the climate emergency and the breakdown of nature poses a dramatically growing risk to the global economy.Frank Elderson, a member of the ECB’s executive board, said the eurozone lender of last resort was stepping up its monitoring of the financial risks linked to the destruction of “ecosystem services”, which are nature-related processes or assets that support human activity. Continue reading...

• On July 30, 2026, major venture capital firms including Bessemer Venture Partners, Kleiner Perkins, and Lightspeed led a series of funding rounds for tech startups. • Investment is heavily concentrated in AI infrastructure, specifically targeting space tech, clean energy, and data center capabilities. • This shift signals a strategic move by investors toward hardware-heavy, mission-critical fields that support the growing demands of the AI boom.

• The Bank of England is investigating global investment banks to assess their concentrated exposure to AI-related stocks, specifically focusing on SK hynix and TSMC. • This probe follows significant market volatility, with semiconductor ETF losses approaching 40% and retail leverage losses reaching 56 trillion won. • The move highlights growing concerns over an "AI bubble," as the high concentration of assets in a few semiconductor firms creates systemic risk for the global financial system.

• Irish construction firms are expanding their operations into Europe following a surge in data center growth, leveraging expertise gained from Ireland's domestic boom. • While grid capacity concerns have slowed new projects within Ireland, companies like Sisk are now securing contracts in Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands. • This shift allows Irish builders to export specialized technical skills to other EU markets facing similar digital infrastructure demands.

As the death toll rises to almost 1,500, and with a vaccine against the Bundibugyo strain potentially still months away, health workers face a battle to slow the outbreakThe latest numbers of confirmed cases of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has made this latest outbreak the fastest growing in the known history of the virus.At 3,360 confirmed cases, the disease is now affecting people in five provinces in the east of the DRC, with 1,487 deaths recorded, representing an overall case fatality rate estimated at about 45%, according to Congolese health officials. Health responses to the outbreak have been badly hampered by conflict in many of the affected areas. Continue reading...

Fernando Alexandre’s push to digitise marking process deemed a failure with some students and parents contemplating legal actionPressure is growing on Portugal’s education minister to resign amid student and teacher protests over his handling of this year’s national school exams.Fernando Alexandre is accused of failing to take responsibility for what critics say is an unprecedented and chaotic school exam season affecting children aged 14 to 18, prompting student protesters to call for him “to be flunked”. Continue reading...

• The U.S. economy slowed in the second quarter of 2026, expanding at an annual rate of 1.5 percent. • This deceleration is attributed to an ongoing war with Iran, which has severely disrupted global supply chains, energy markets, and pricing. • Persistent price pressures resulting from these disruptions are creating significant instability across financial markets.

• The U.S. economy grew at a rate of 1.5% in the second quarter, falling short of expectations due to a decline in inventories and federal government spending. • Core inflation for June was reported at 3.3%, maintaining a primary focus for Federal Reserve policymakers as labor market indicators have stabilized. • Three regional Fed presidents cast dissenting votes, citing concerns over persistent high prices and a lack of progress toward the central bank's price stability mandate.

• U.S. economic growth slowed unexpectedly during the second quarter, primarily driven by a widening trade deficit and the impacts of tariffs and conflict in Iran. • Despite the overall slowdown, consumer spending grew at a rate of 3.2%, supported by higher gas prices and larger tax refunds. • The divergence between slowing GDP and strong consumer activity suggests underlying economic resilience despite external geopolitical and trade pressures.

• Major stock indexes surged on Thursday, recovering from a previous day's plunge that followed the Federal Reserve's decision to maintain current interest rates. • Market volatility was highlighted by divergent movements in Microsoft and Meta Platforms shares as investors focused on the "Magnificent Seven" mega-cap tech firms. • The rally coincides with new economic data showing a slowdown in GDP growth and PCE inflation figures that aligned with analyst estimates.