Surges

• Vote counting has begun for critical by-elections in three BJP-ruled states: Bihar (Bankipur), Madhya Pradesh (Datia), and Gujarat (Manjalpur). • The elections were triggered by a combination of political resignations, a legal conviction, and a death. • Early trends indicate that Prashant Kishor is surging ahead in his contest, while the Congress party is currently leading in Datia.

• South Korea's KOSPI index achieved a record-breaking single-day rally, surging 17.91% as tech giants Samsung and SK Hynix rebounded. • The surge was primarily driven by strong U.S. tech earnings, specifically a "blockbuster" earnings beat from Microsoft and multibillion-dollar deals from Nvidia. • This recovery follows a period of extreme volatility, including a historic two-day plunge and a global AI chip stock sell-off that saw the index drop over 10%.

• Indian benchmark indices opened marginally higher on Friday, with the Nifty 50 starting at 24,361.45 and the BSE Sensex at 77,998.66. • Market performance was mixed, featuring a 6% surge in Bajaj Finance while the Nifty IT index plummeted over 3% due to a sharp sell-off in technology stocks. • The volatility stems from investors reacting to corporate earnings announcements and a rally on Wall Street following Microsoft's financial results.

• South Korea's Kospi index experienced a record 17% surge, driven by a powerful rally in AI-related technology stocks. • Major chipmakers led the growth, with SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics both jumping over 23%, while Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. rose 10%. • These three companies served as the primary contributors to the gains seen across the MSCI Asia Pacific equities index.

• Japanese and South Korean stock markets experienced a sharp rebound on July 31, with the Nikkei 225 rising 4.10% and the KOSPI surging 13%. • Major tech players led the rally, as SK Hynix jumped over 27% and Samsung gained more than 22% following positive U.S. earnings from AI-related giants. • The recovery is attributed to eased concerns over AI investments and a significant unwinding of extreme leverage in South Korea, which helped cool market panic.

• The Dow and other stock indices rose on July 30, 2026, driven by strong earnings reports from Microsoft (MSFT) and Meta Platforms (META). • The Federal Reserve opted to hold interest rates steady, providing a stable environment for investors despite renewed hostilities in the Middle East. • Market momentum was further bolstered by positive stock futures as investors weighed the Fed's decision against corporate performance.

• The 30-year long bond yield has surged to its highest level in 19 years, according to analyst Mike Shedlock. • Shedlock suggests this spike serves as a market signal to Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh regarding recent monetary policy decisions. • The trend reflects growing macroeconomic concerns, highlighted by a GDPNow final estimate for 2026 Q2 GDP of 1.5%, which is significantly lower than the Econoday consensus of 2.3%.

• ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) became China's most valuable listed company by market capitalization after its shares surged over 500% during its Shanghai debut on Monday. • The memory chipmaker raised 57.92 billion yuan ($8.55 billion) by pricing its IPO at 8.66 yuan ($1.28) per share. • This offering marks the largest public offering in Asia so far this year, signaling massive investor demand for domestic semiconductor capabilities.

• The BSE Sensex surged over 600 points and the Nifty50 climbed above 23,900, reflecting a strong positive trend in the Indian stock market. • Market growth is being driven by a combination of quarterly earnings from heavyweight companies, banking stock performance, and shifts in large-cap valuations. • Investors are currently balancing these gains against risks including geopolitical developments, inflation concerns, and volatile oil prices affecting global trade routes.

• The Services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) has surged, surpassing both previous levels and market forecasts. • This growth indicates significant strength and resilience within the service sector of the economy. • The surge is critical as it provides a key indicator of overall economic momentum and may influence upcoming monetary policy decisions.

• Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has increased its capital expenditures (CAPEX) guidance, sparking a rally in the domestic stock market. • This positive momentum contributed to a significant surge in the KOSPI, which rose by over 3%. • The move is critical as investors seek evidence that massive infrastructure investments in artificial intelligence (AI) will lead to sustainable profitability.

• The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index surged 5.21% on Tuesday, sparking a widespread rally across Asian equity markets on Wednesday. • South Korea's KOSPI soared over 6%, triggering a market circuit breaker, while Japan's Nikkei rebounded by more than 1,000 points. • The surge was driven by strong export data from Taiwan and South Korea, which bolstered investor confidence in a recovery for semiconductor demand.

• Global semiconductor stocks experienced a massive rebound on Tuesday (21st), highlighted by a 5.21% surge in the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index. • Major industry players saw significant gains, including MediaTek soaring 9.9%, Samsung Electronics climbing over 6%, and Hua Hong Semiconductor skyrocketing 20%. • The rally drove Taiwan's TAIEX up 1,783 points (4.2%), marking its best single-day performance since May and the second-largest closing point gain in history.

• Indian stock markets opened lower at the start of the week, pressured by rising oil prices and a weakening rupee. • Market sentiment is currently being driven by anticipation of upcoming quarterly corporate earnings and the performance of the Nifty Bank index. • Investors are closely monitoring global growth expectations, central bank policy signals, and geopolitical developments to gauge future stability.

• The Indian stock market experienced a significant rally, with the BSE Sensex surging by more than 900 points. • Simultaneously, the Nifty50 index climbed to trade above the 24,300 level, reflecting strong bullish momentum. • This surge indicates high investor confidence and positive market sentiment across key Indian benchmarks.

• 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%.

• Asian equities experienced a severe sell-off, highlighted by South Korea's KOSPI index plummeting as much as 7% intraday and triggering circuit breaker concerns. • Memory-related stocks were the hardest hit, though ChipMOS surged nearly 8% as investors sought a safe haven amidst the volatility. • Despite bullish AI-driven outlooks from Barclays and Nanya Technology President Lee Pei-Ing, analysts warn that low trading volume makes a V-shaped recovery unlikely for the Taiwan market.

• SK Automation secured a significant order valued at RMB 4.5 billion from battery giant CATL, while Lingyun Guang reported a nearly six-fold increase in net profit driven by AI investments. • Xingye Silver & Tin, via its subsidiary Xingye Gold (Hong Kong), acquired a 20% stake in Australian-listed Tartana Minerals Limited (TAT) for approximately A$5.1827 million. • These developments, announced after the market close on July 16, highlight a surge in strategic industrial growth and overseas mineral resource expansion for companies on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges.

• Venture funding for fintech startups increased by nearly 23% year-over-year during the first half of 2026, according to data from Crunchbase. • Despite the rise in total funding, the overall deal count dropped by more than 25%, indicating that investors are writing fewer but significantly larger checks. • Investment is becoming more concentrated, with a strategic focus on financial infrastructure, wealth management, and enterprise automation.

Comedian backs LGBTQ+ theatre in ‘David v Goliath’ fight. Follow today’s news live Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGood morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it will be Nick Visser with the main action.Comedian Josh Thomas has weighed in on the Divine Playhouse saga, a queer-friendly theatre pop-up in Sydney that has been kicked out by its landlord. Continue reading...

• South Korea's theater market ticket sales have surged by 105%, reaching a record $50 million according to the latest KOPIS data. • The boom was primarily driven by high-demand global productions, specifically the Japanese touring production of Spirited Away and the British stage adaptation of Life of Pi. • This growth signifies a shift in the live entertainment ecosystem, proving that audiences are willing to pay premium prices for well-known international brands.

• Singapore's GDP grew by 5.7% in the second quarter, driven primarily by a surge in manufacturing fueled by AI-related demand. • While goods-producing industries accelerated, the services sector saw a slowdown, edging up only 0.3% sequentially compared to 2% in Q1. • Sector performance was mixed, with real estate expanding due to steady developer activities while the food and beverage services sector contracted.

• Apple stock has surged to new 52-week highs, with share prices reaching near $320. • The rally is primarily driven by the company's strategic focus on custom AI chip deals and significant growth in its services sector. • This historic valuation reflects strong investor confidence in Apple's ability to integrate artificial intelligence into its ecosystem to drive future revenue.

• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in India has reached a five-year high, driven by strong capital inflows and resilient domestic demand despite global trade headwinds. • The services sector emerged as the primary growth engine with a 10% expansion, followed by industry growth of 7.3% and a more subdued 3.6% increase in agriculture. • This surge is significant as robust investment momentum and gross capital formation are currently offsetting global economic uncertainties and inflation.

• Samsung Electronics reported a significant surge in operating profit for the second quarter, driven by a global boom in artificial intelligence infrastructure. • The growth is primarily attributed to increased demand and rising prices for DRAM and NAND memory chips. • This financial jump is critical as it reflects broader trends in data-center spending and the overall pace of the worldwide AI buildout.

• South Korea's KOSPI index surged over 100% in the first half of the year, breaking the 8,000-point mark for the first time in history. • Despite the rally, foreign investors have sold a record ₩148 trillion in stocks, indicating a significant divergence between index growth and global capital flow. • Industry insiders clarify that this massive foreign sell-off does not signal a collapse of South Korea's economic fundamentals or a systemic crisis.

• The Kospi index surged over 100% in the first half of the year, breaching the 8,000-point mark for the first time despite a record $96.7 billion sell-off by foreign investors. • Retail investors are increasingly shifting toward overseas leveraged ETFs, with net purchases reaching $1.28 billion in June, more than triple the previous month's volume. • While investors moved away from Hong Kong-listed 2x leveraged ETFs for Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix after May, the Kospi 3x leveraged ETF (KORU) saw a resurgence in June.

• Goldman Sachs has secured a dominant position in M&A advisory work across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) during the first half of the year. • The firm's success comes amid a broader surge in regional dealmaking, reflecting a recovery in corporate appetite for strategic acquisitions. • This growth underscores Goldman's ability to capture market share from competitors as global financial conditions stabilize and corporate activity accelerates.