Street Gains

• Asian stock markets rallied following gains on Wall Street, with South Korea’s KOSPI jumping over 3% and the Australian ASX hitting a record high. • Tech stocks led the rebound, featuring significant gains for SK Hynix (over 6%), Samsung Electronics (nearly 4%), and Foxconn Industrial Internet (nearly 9%). • Chinese and Hong Kong markets also advanced, with the CSI 300 rising about 2% and the Hang Seng climbing 1.6%, bolstered by Alibaba's release of its Qwen3.8-Max AI model.

• The Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) extended its gains following a positive rally on Wall Street. • Economist Louise Southall from Xero noted surprising Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data showing discretionary spending grew at a faster rate than spending on essential items. • The market activity coincides with a drop in global oil prices, contributing to the shifting financial landscape.

• South Korea’s Kospi index surged by more than 13%, driven primarily by a significant rally in chipmaking stocks. • The jump follows positive momentum from Wall Street, reflecting a broader global trend of investor confidence in the semiconductor sector. • This spike is critical as chipmaking is a cornerstone of South Korea's economy and a primary driver of its national industrial growth.

• Asian stock markets surged on Friday, driven by a global rally in semiconductor stocks and renewed optimism surrounding artificial intelligence. • South Korea's KOSPI Composite jumped over 14.5%, fueled by massive gains in Samsung Electronics (over 20%) and SK Hynix (over 25%). • Market sentiment was bolstered by strong earnings from Microsoft and Amazon, as well as South Korea's June industrial production rising 2.3%, the fastest pace in six years.

• The Dow Jones and S&P 500 reached record highs, with the benchmark index closing up 0.2% despite a 1% drop in the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100. • JPMorgan Chase & Co. analysts suggest the probability of a Federal Reserve rate hike is currently less than 30%, citing a lack of risk for an "upside explosion" in inflation. • Experts assign a 50% chance to a "hawkish hold," indicating the central bank will remain vigilant despite signs of disinflation in energy prices.

• Wall Street is positioned for gains ahead of the opening bell, driven by a recovery in AI-focused chip and memory companies following losses last week. • International markets showed strong momentum, with Taiwan’s Taiex rising 4.2% and AI chip giant TSMC advancing 3.9%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng remained nearly flat at 25,132.29. • Simultaneously, oil prices have increased due to escalating tensions and exchanged attacks between the U.S. and Iran.

• Indian benchmark indexes opened higher on July 16, 2026, with the Sensex surging 260 points and the Nifty rising 80 points. • The gains follow a positive trend from Wall Street, as investors prioritize strong corporate earnings over escalating geopolitical tensions between Iran and the US. • Market sentiment remained mixed across Asia, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rising 1.40% while Japan's Nikkei 225 plummeted 2.84%.

• Wall Street saw mixed results on Thursday as declines in chip stocks and AI-related winners offset gains made by the majority of other stocks. • The S&P 500 remained largely unchanged despite more than two-thirds of stocks posting gains, highlighting a narrow market divergence. • Economic data showed U.S. employers added 57,000 jobs last month, falling significantly short of the 100,000 jobs economists had projected.

• Asia-Pacific markets showed mixed performance following strong first-half gains on Wall Street, which were primarily driven by the semiconductor sector. • South Korea's KOSPI index fell 2.63% to 8,253.22, while financial markets in Hong Kong remained closed for a public holiday. • Investors are closely monitoring upcoming commentary from the Fed Chair and key economic reports due Wednesday, including the June ADP employment data and ISM manufacturing readings.

• Global stock markets in Asia and Europe rose on Tuesday, following a positive trend from Wall Street. • Key indices saw gains including Germany's DAX (+0.8%), Britain's FTSE 100 (+0.4%), and a slight increase in Paris's CAC 40. • The Japanese yen hit a critical milestone, trading near a 40-year low against the U.S. dollar.

• Asian stock markets trended mostly higher on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, following positive momentum from Wall Street gains. • South Korea's stock market saw a notable rebound after previously suffering sharp losses triggered by a significant tech sector sell-off. • The upward trend was mirrored in Japan, where the benchmark Nikkei 225 index was monitored alongside the Japanese yen's exchange rate against the U.S. dollar.

Former health secretary described as ‘hysterical’ about the issue by Peter Mandelson in messages disclosed this weekUK politics live – latest updatesWes Streeting has said he felt he was “hitting up against a brick wall” when he tried to raise concerns about Gaza in government, after private messages from Peter Mandelson were disclosed where he was accused of being “hysterical” about the issue.Among a huge release of documents relating to Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador to the US, WhatsApp messages showed Mandelson being highly critical of Streeting to Pat McFadden, another cabinet minister. Continue reading...

• U.S. stocks finished Monday, June 1, with the Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq all higher, as technology shares helped lift the market in early June trading. • The Dow rose 46.42 points to 51,078.88, the S&P 500 gained 19.90 points to 7,599.96, and the Nasdaq added 114.19 points to 27,086.81, according to the closing figures reported from New York. • The move mattered because investors were balancing inflation and interest-rate concerns while still keeping major indexes near record territory after a strong May run.

• The BSE Sensex gained 45 points and the Nifty50 climbed above the 24,000 mark on Tuesday, reversing an initial opening in the red. • Market volatility was driven by geopolitical tensions as the US resumed strikes on Iran, though positive developments regarding the conflict's end have sparked rallies. • The current trend is closely tied to fluctuations in crude oil prices, which previously contributed to a significant 1,073-point surge in the Sensex.

MP says current system is unfair and his idea would result in a ‘wealth tax that works’UK politics live – latest updatesFormer health secretary Wes Streeting has set out plans for a “wealth tax that works”, by equalising tax on assets and income.Streeting said the current system – in which capital gains tax is generally much lower than income tax – was not fair and penalised work, arguing the taxes should be equalised. Continue reading...

Health secretary’s move to force race sparks scramble on left of Labour for candidate to oppose himUK politics live – latest updatesWes Streeting is preparing to launch a leadership challenge against Keir Starmer on Thursday if the health secretary can secure the support of enough MPs to trigger a contest.Streeting’s move to force a race has sparked a frantic scramble on the left of Labour to find a candidate to oppose him, with Ed Miliband and Angela Rayner both possible contenders. Continue reading...

Conservative and Reform leaders cheered as they address crowd, while Labour’s Pat McFadden met with boos and shouts of ‘where is Starmer?’Thousands of people gathered outside Downing Street on Sunday to protest an increase in antisemitic hate crimes and violence, as senior politicians and interfaith leaders called for unity.The Standing Strong: Extinguish Antisemitism rally, backed by more than 30 Jewish groups, drew thousands of people to Whitehall, as Conservative and Liberal Democrat party leaders, alongside Labour and Reform representatives, addressed a crowd studded with Israeli and union jack flags, and ‘Where is Keir?’ placards. Continue reading...

Judge rules complaint fails to outline malice after Trump argued lewd drawing allegedly sent to Epstein at heart of story was fakeA Florida judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed last summer by Donald Trump over a Wall Street Journal report that he had sent a “bawdy” letter to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein in 2003, though the judge has given the US president two weeks to re-file the case.Trump, who has had a habit of suing media companies both inside and outside the White House, had argued that a lewd drawing at the heart of the story was fake. The lawsuit was especially notable because one of the defendants was Rupert Murdoch, one of Trump’s top media allies, whose News Corporation media empire owns the Journal. Continue reading...