Surges

• A Reuters poll shows that investors are increasing bearish bets on several emerging Asian currencies, including the Philippine peso, Thai baht, Indian rupee, and Malaysian ringgit. • This market shift follows oil prices rising above $100 a barrel and an increase in US Treasury yields. • These conditions put downward pressure on regional currencies, potentially increasing import costs and inflation for these emerging markets.

Exclusive: Many ‘use community protection as a cover for racist thuggery’, raising concerns about fresh disorderAt least 28 anti-migrant vigilante groups have formed in the UK in the last 18 months, ranging from unauthorised street patrols claiming to protect women and children to groups harassing migrants in France and blocking ports.From Belfast to the south coast of England, the number of active groups has surged since the summer of 2025, according to analysis by the Guardian, amid widespread concerns over fresh disorder after black-clad vigilantes, many of them wearing balaclavas, blocked roads in Portsmouth and Dover last weekend. Continue reading...

• Late-stage funding captured 77.5% of Singapore's total tech funding in August 2026. • Data from Tracxn shows this represents a surge from zero percent year-over-year. • This shift indicates that investors are prioritizing established companies over early-stage startups in the Singapore tech market.

• U.S. consumer credit increased more than expected recently, indicating that people are spending more. • This surge in borrowing aligns with broader economic indicators that suggest the U.S. economy is resilient. • Higher credit usage suggests that consumers feel positive about their personal financial stability and future economic conditions.

• Asian currencies strengthened on Friday, led by a sharp rally in the Japanese yen as the U.S. dollar weakened. • The market shift followed dovish comments from Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller regarding the outlook for U.S. interest rates. • A weaker dollar typically lowers borrowing costs for emerging markets and increases the purchasing power of regional currencies.

• Global stock indexes mostly rose following a three-day decline as investors sought bargain opportunities despite ongoing geopolitical tensions. • The Japanese yen surged and US Treasury yields eased as market participants closely monitored the evolving conflict between the US and Iran. • Analysts suggest a tension exists between strong US economic growth, which supports corporate earnings, and the risk of higher interest rates.

• Thailand and Taiwan led Asian earnings upgrades in August, with BofA reporting a global revision ratio surge to 1.35 across all regions. • On a rolling three-month basis, Taiwan recorded the highest regional ratio at 2.02, followed closely by Thailand at 1.93. • Thailand's growth was driven primarily by analyst upgrades in the Energy, Materials, Banks, Consumer Discretionary, and Tech Hardware sectors.

• AI and generative AI investments across Asia are projected to surge, reaching an estimated $175 billion by 2028. • Singapore and India are emerging as primary strategic hubs for the development and deployment of AI technologies. • The trend is driven by widespread adoption, with many employees across the Asia-Pacific region already integrating AI tools into their weekly work routines.

• Global AI funding is surging, highlighted by semiconductor startup Etched raising $700 million to develop specialized AI inference chips, bringing its valuation to $21 billion. • The Etched funding round saw major participation from top-tier investors including Jane Street, Kleiner Perkins, Sequoia, Andreessen Horowitz, and Tiger Global. • In India, startups raised a total of $233.2 million, with investment activity primarily concentrated in the fintech sector and companies preparing for IPOs.

• New Jersey sportsbooks generated $97 million in gross revenue during July, marking a 29.7% increase compared to the same month last year. • The surge was driven by $816.9 million in total wagers and an 11.9% hold rate, the highest reported by operators so far this year. • High betting activity tied to the FIFA World Cup knockout rounds and championship match served as a primary catalyst for the revenue growth.

• South Korea's KOSPI index surged 5.89%, reversing previous losses and boosting investor confidence. • The rally was primarily driven by SK Hynix's announcement of a massive $28.69 billion share buyback plan. • Additional support for the market came from easing U.S. Treasury yields, which helped spark a sharp rebound in chip-related stocks.

• On August 20, Asian markets saw a strong rebound, with South Korea's KOSPI Index surging 5.89% to 6,852.58 points and Japan's Nikkei 225 rising 1.36% to 66,216.79 points. • Major tech stocks led the rally, including SK Hynix (up over 12%), Samsung (up over 9%), and Kioxia (up over 6%), while the Korea Exchange activated a Sidecar mechanism to manage program buying. • The momentum is driven by Samsung's plan to announce a shareholder return exceeding 100 trillion won (~$71.9 billion) and a $120 billion conditional revenue agreement between Google and Marvell for custom AI chips.

• SanDisk has experienced a significant price surge, signaling a broader trend of renewed opportunities within the value stock sector. • The report identifies three industry-leading companies characterized by strong financial fundamentals and attractive current valuations for investors. • This analysis is supported by Steve, the Founder of Alpha Picks, who utilizes a data-driven, systematic approach to remove emotional bias from stock selection.

• The Kospi index surged 3.68% to close at 6,579.04 on August 12, gaining 233.51 points and nearly ending a seven-week losing streak. • The rally was driven by foreign investors net buying $2 billion, with semiconductor giants Samsung and SK Hynix leading the market gains. • Positive after-hours earnings from U.S. AI infrastructure firms CoreWeave and Supermicro dispelled fears regarding semiconductor demand, boosting investor sentiment in South Korea.

• On August 12, Japanese and South Korean stock markets closed higher, highlighted by a 3.68% surge in South Korea's KOSPI Index to 6,579.04 points. • The rally was driven by the semiconductor sector, with Samsung Electronics jumping 6%, SK Hynix gaining over 5%, and Kioxia rising nearly 4%. • Investor confidence was bolstered by reports that Singapore's Temasek plans to invest directly in South Korean semiconductor leaders, citing low valuations and high AI memory chip demand.

Calls for speed limiters or mandated helmet use after research into injuries at three paediatric trauma centres The number of children involved in crashes on e-scooters has soared in recent years, with some as young as nine involved in collisions, research has found.Researchers carried out a review of injuries among the under-16s at three specialist paediatric trauma centres – Alder Hey in Liverpool, and Sheffield and Royal Manchester children’s hospitals – between January 2019 and December 2024. Continue reading...

• Medexus Pharmaceuticals Inc. experienced a significant stock price surge of 8.06% amid a spike in trading activity and increased market attention. • The company operates as a specialty pharmaceutical firm focusing on the commercialization and marketing of branded products for rare diseases and oncology support in Canada and the U.S. • Analysts advise investors to review recent regulatory filings and news releases to determine if the rally is driven by specific operational or financial changes.

• Wall Street experienced a mixed and slightly downward trend as of 11:11 a.m. EDT, with the Nasdaq Composite falling 0.20% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropping 42.74 points. • The S&P 500 remained nearly flat, gaining 0.03%, while crude oil prices saw a significant surge. • This market volatility occurs as investors cautiously await the release of critical inflation data, which typically influences Federal Reserve interest rate decisions.

• The Dow and S&P 500 reached new record highs, while the Nasdaq rose 2.59%, driven by a rebound in global risk appetite and AI-driven optimism. • Tech stocks led the rally, highlighted by massive gains for Palantir (29%) and ARM (over 17%), though SpaceX and AMD saw post-market sell-offs. • The surge was triggered by cooling inflation expectations, declining Treasury yields, and a reduction in risk premiums as U.S.-Iran geopolitical tensions eased.

• 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.