Market

Hispanic communities have taken economic hit over anti-immigration raids, prompting people to shop online and reuse oilUK politics live – latest updatesThe US cooking oil market is shrinking and unlikely to improve soon because of economic and immigration enforcement pressures on Latino households, the owner of the Mazola brand has said.George Weston, the chief executive of Associated British Foods (ABF), told City analysts that cooking oil sales had suffered as “our heavy use consumer is that Hispanic population who are under financial pressure, who are under pressure from Ice [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and are feeling a bit miserable”. Continue reading...

• Mark Mahaney of Evercore ISI analyzed Alphabet and Meta shares on 'Varney & Co.', focusing on the impact of researcher departures and new talent acquisitions. • Joseph Tanious from Northern Trust Asset Management discussed market volatility and the shift of investor rotation away from big tech toward other sectors. • Tanious further addressed the resilience of the current economy and how ongoing inflation continues to affect consumer behavior.

• Asian markets are currently experiencing volatility driven by the Kospi and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty regarding Iran. • Mixed macroeconomic data was reported, including June PMI Manufacturing figures showing expansion in Taiwan (55.2), Thailand (53.6), Malaysia (50.7), Philippines (50.9), and Vietnam (51.8). • Corporate headwinds persist as Nike struggles in China and Microsoft is speculated to implement further job cuts.

• Indian markets are trading in positive territory, with the Nifty Pharma index emerging as a top gainer due to strong export demand and stable earnings expectations. • Overall gains are being restricted by geopolitical instability, specifically reports that Iran has rejected diplomatic discussions with visiting US envoys. • Investors are avoiding aggressive risk-taking as uncertainty grows regarding the sustainability of the recent ceasefire between the US and Iran.

Consumer advocacy group Choice blind tested 30 olive oils – and found many of the highest ranked came from AustraliaGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastConsumer advocacy group Choice has taste tested 30 supermarket extra-virgin olive oils, and found some Australian-made oils rank higher than those imported from Italy and Spain.“A lot of Australians are after local products, and there are a lot of Australian olive oil makers that have built quite a good reputation,” Pru Engel, Choice audience and engagement editor, said. Continue reading...

• Market trading during the final session of the quarter was driven by end-of-quarter repositioning, comments from the ECB Sintra forum, and new economic data. • July inflation figures for EMU members showed slight downside surprises, with Germany reporting HICP of -0.2% M/M (2.4% Y/Y) and France reporting -0.3% M/M (2% Y/Y). • Italy's data showed a slight increase of 0.1% M/M, resulting in a yearly inflation rate of 3.1%.

• U.S. stock markets closed higher on July 1, 2026, with the technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite leading the gains. • The S&P 500 also rose, reflecting a broad increase in value across 500 large companies and overall positive market sentiment. • The Dow Jones Industrial Average saw more subdued activity due to the performance of its industrial and financial components.

• Thailand’s SET Index closed at 1,591.24 points on June 30, 2026, marking an increase of 13.43 points or 0.85%. • The market saw a total trading value of THB 91.87 billion, driven by strong buying pressure in large-cap stocks. • This growth is attributed to significant fund inflows into specific sectors, allowing the Thai market to extend its recent gains.