Investment

New data shows the federal government scheme has been used by high-income borrowers, including one couple earning an annual $674,000Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe government’s 5% deposit scheme for first home buyers has enabled the purchase of nearly 1,500 properties that were turned into investments, new data shows.The scheme is also helping hundreds of Australians earning more than $300,000 a year, after Labor stopped excluding high-income borrowers. Continue reading...

• The Philippines has implemented new legislative and regulatory reforms designed to strengthen its investment framework and encourage more mergers and acquisitions (M&A). • These initiatives aim to make the country more attractive to foreign investors by reducing barriers and streamlining legal processes. • This shift is significant as it positions the Philippines to compete more effectively for global capital and industrial growth in the region.

• India is accelerating its semiconductor ambitions by investing in R&D centers, indigenous design tools, and Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) facilities to reduce import dependence. • HCLTech is expanding into the full-stack AI market by establishing its first AI data center at the upcoming Odisha Sovereign AI Park, partnering with the Government of Odisha and startup Sarvam. • These strategic initiatives aim to strengthen domestic capabilities, support technology exports, and build an integrated base for telecom hardware and research.

• A survey of 1,000 IT decision-makers by Alibaba Cloud and NielsenIQ reveals that Malaysia is the only Asian market among eight surveyed where 100% of respondents plan to increase AI investment. • The data highlights a significant regional demand for localized AI, as only about half of the respondents prefer English as their primary language for AI solutions. • Enterprises in Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, and Thailand identified the scarcity of high-quality local-language models as a primary constraint hindering their AI development.

• Shanghai Initiative Technology Co., Ltd. announced the completion of a 330 million RMB angel funding round on August 3, 2026. • This investment marks a record-breaking amount for angel-round financing within China's brain-computer interface (BCI) sector. • The capital will be used to advance neural integration technologies designed for medical treatments and AI-driven applications.

• Sifted published a report on July 31, 2026, identifying the top European AI Materials Discovery companies that have secured the highest levels of investment to date. • The report provides a comprehensive ranking of these firms and establishes a formal definition of what constitutes an AI Materials Discovery company. • This data highlights the growing financial interest and strategic importance of using artificial intelligence to accelerate the discovery of new materials within Europe.

Security lapse leaves sensitive information and contact details of 51 government officials exposed for 40 hoursThe public body in charge of the UK’s state investments has been pushed to improve its internal security after a data breach left “high-level management information” publicly accessible for nearly two days.UK Government Investments (UKGI), the agency that manages the taxpayers’ interest in a swathe of companies including Channel 4 and the Post Office, said the security failure also left more than 50 government officials’ personal details exposed for nearly 40 hours. Continue reading...

• SemiAnalysis, a research firm specializing in chips and AI infrastructure, is raising a $400 million venture fund according to a U.S. SEC filing. • The move allows the firm to transition from providing research to directly investing in the industries it tracks, building on founder Patel's existing stakes in 20 startups, including Enfabrica and Thinking Machines Lab. • This expansion follows a previous $50 million investment specifically targeted at the AI infrastructure company Fluidstack.

• Major technology companies have invested over $1.1 trillion in capital expenditure since the AI boom began in 2023. • This massive spending is driven by an intensifying infrastructure race to build the data centers and hardware necessary for advanced AI. • The scale of investment reflects a fundamental transformation in corporate strategy as Big Tech competes for dominance in the AI sector.

• Amazon received approximately $600 million in tariff refunds for Q2 2026 following a February Supreme Court ruling against IEEPA tariffs. • The company plans to automatically refund eligible customers and utilize any remaining funds to lower product prices. • Other major retailers are seeing similar impacts, with Apple reporting a 5% (11 cents) boost to earnings per share and Costco pledging to return a portion of its rebates to consumers.

• European regulators from the securities, banking, insurance, and pension sectors have issued a joint warning regarding the escalation of cyber threats driven by advanced AI models. • The statement emphasizes that AI is significantly accelerating the speed and sophistication of cyberattacks, necessitating more robust security measures and faster incident response capabilities. • This alert is critical as the financial industry faces increased vulnerability to automated threats that could compromise systemic stability and sensitive data.

• The South Korean KOSPI index experienced a historic crash over two trading sessions, contributing to a broader $620 billion market wipeout. • This sudden decline has triggered significant volatility and renewed skepticism regarding the current valuations of technology companies. • The downturn is extending beyond equities, with growing tensions and instability appearing in AI-related bond markets.

• Microsoft reported a $3.2 billion quarterly gain from its investment in Anthropic, though it recorded a $600 million write-down on its stake in OpenAI. • These financial movements highlight Microsoft's shift toward a multi-model strategy, diversifying its AI partnerships to better serve enterprise customers. • The results were part of a broader "blockbuster" financial report, signaling the high volatility and massive scale of current AI infrastructure investments.

• Market analysts have identified a watchlist of 20 top stocks to monitor today, featuring key companies such as HDFC AMC, Bharti Airtel, and Eicher Motors. • These stocks are expected to be in focus due to upcoming earnings reports, management commentary, and potential business expansions across sectors like telecom, banking, and energy. • Tracking these specific assets allows investors to anticipate institutional activity and gauge broader market trends before the trading day begins.

• AI startup funding reached $510 billion in the first half of 2026, already surpassing the total investment recorded for the entire year of 2025. • The investment surge is primarily driven by a focus on critical infrastructure, semiconductor chips, robotics, and enterprise-level AI solutions. • This boom is fueled by growing commercial demand as businesses integrate AI tools into sectors such as healthcare, finance, cybersecurity, and manufacturing.

Industry wants mandate forcing manufacturers to sell increasing share of electric cars each year to be easedCarmakers are delaying final decisions to invest in UK factories until electric car sales rules are relaxed, according to the head of the British car industry’s lobby group.The chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), Mike Hawes, said those with existing UK operations were considering building new models, but had held back so far. Continue reading...

• Global IT spending is projected to grow by 14.2% to reach $6.37 trillion by 2026. • This growth is primarily fueled by increased investments in artificial intelligence infrastructure, cloud computing, and enterprise software. • Nordic countries, including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland, continue to lead the world in digital adoption and per-resident technology spending.

• Investors are closely monitoring the Federal Reserve's upcoming interest rate decision following a three-session winning streak that saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average surge over 500 points. • President Donald Trump has publicly criticized the Fed's Board of Governors as "very political" with "bad intentions," while praising official Warsh. • Market volatility is expected as stock futures trend lower ahead of the bell, reflecting uncertainty over the central bank's policy direction.

• The European Innovation Council (EIC) has selected six European scale-ups to move forward for potential investment decisions by the EIC Fund. • These six companies were chosen from an initial pool of 24 applicants, 17 of whom were invited to interview with independent high-level experts. • This selection process is part of the STEP Scale Up initiative, aimed at strengthening the competitiveness of European innovative companies.

• Six European deep tech scale-ups, including France-based Vsora, have been selected for investment through the European Innovation Council (EIC) STEP Scale Up programme. • Vsora is specifically highlighted for its development of ultra-high-performance AI inference technology designed for edge computing and data centres. • The selection process was highly competitive, with 24 companies submitting proposals and 17 advancing to interviews with a panel of independent experts.

• Foreign investment applications in Thailand surged 80% to $40.6 billion, fueled primarily by the global AI boom and increased technology cooperation with China. • Despite investment growth, industrial output hit a seven-month low, and the Bank of Thailand projects a modest 2.3% growth rate. • The government is maintaining a cautious fiscal stance by keeping the value-added tax steady at 7% for another year to navigate economic uncertainty.

• The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has identified a potential boom in AI investments as a key risk to global financial stability. • To address this, MAS and the Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) have set up a task force to enhance cyber and technology resilience against AI-driven threats. • The move aims to mitigate potential risks and ensure the stability of the financial system in the face of rapid technological advancements.

• Intel has unveiled its Starfire chip, a new hardware solution designed to enable smarter, more capable satellite operations in space. • In the AI sector, Nvidia is investing in Safe Superintelligence and launching a new AI security alliance to enhance industry safety standards. • India is reporting a significant increase in blockchain-related employment opportunities, signaling growing regional adoption of the technology.

• Investors are maintaining an optimistic outlook on India's long-term economic growth, driven by steady foreign investment flows and strong domestic consumption. • Benchmark indices saw significant growth, with banking, financial services, and technology companies emerging as the strongest performers. • This trend is fueled by expectations of sustained credit growth and improved profitability for major Indian banks.

• Goldman Sachs stock is trading near recent highs following strong earnings momentum driven by growth in its investment banking and trading divisions. • The firm's financial performance is currently supported by increased revenue and profit, though retail investors are closely monitoring capital returns and balance sheet metrics. • The stock's valuation remains sensitive to macroeconomic variables, including GDP growth, inflation, and central bank policy rates, which impact corporate demand for advisory services.

• Japanese and South Korean stock markets experienced a significant rebound during the Asian trading session on July 23, driven by an investment boom in artificial intelligence. • The South Korean KOSPI Index closed up 4.40% at 7,096.82 points, marking its third consecutive day of gains. • Major tech companies saw substantial growth, with SK Hynix rising nearly 5%, while Samsung and SoftBank both increased by nearly 4%.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reported in its July Bulletin that the Indian economy has successfully navigated external uncertainties, leading to a recovery in foreign investments. • This trend indicates a revival of global investor confidence despite ongoing risks from fragile geopolitics and persistent supply chain pressures. • The findings matter as they signal India's resilience and attractiveness as a destination for capital amidst a volatile global economic landscape.

• Asian stocks surged, led by chipmakers, as renewed optimism regarding AI investments drove a broad tech rally. • Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. saw its ADRs climb 5.5% following reports that the company may increase prices by up to 10%. • The rally occurred despite economic headwinds, including rising oil prices and the Japanese yen sliding past 163 per dollar, its lowest level since 1986.