China has resumed shipments of rare-earth products, with July exports jumping to their highest level since January. Shipments of rare-earth products — primarily magnets used in electric motors and electronics — rose 69% month-on-month to 6,422 tonnes, signaling a partial recovery in global supply after recent disruptions. (Sources: Chinese customs, Bloomberg.)
The rebound comes months after Beijing imposed tighter export controls on rare-earth magnets in April and May amid trade tensions with the United States. Following a trade truce, China agreed to accelerate deliveries to international buyers, and volumes have climbed accordingly.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said earlier this month that China is "roughly halfway" to restoring magnet supplies to pre-control levels. The earlier restrictions had affected automakers from Europe to India; more detailed export breakdowns and destination data were due to be published on Wednesday. #China #RareEarths #Magnets #Trade #FiatNews
Chinese stocks climbed to their highest levels in a decade, driven by a surge in retail buying as investors rotate from bonds into equities. The Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite rose 1.2% in Monday trading to close at its strongest level since August 2015, extending a roughly 20% rebound from April lows following the tariff tensions with the U.S.
Market activity has picked up sharply: trading volume on mainland exchanges topped 2 trillion yuan (~$278bn) last Wednesday for the first time since February, mainland investors bought a record $4.6bn of Hong Kong stocks, and margin loans to buy equities reached their highest level in ten years, only about 10% below the historic peak. The 10-year Chinese government bond yield rose 3 basis points to 1.78% and the 30-year yield gained 5 basis points to 2.10%.
Year-to-date the SSE Composite is up more than 14%, outpacing major U.S. indices, while the Hang Seng has surged about 28% this year. "We believe the current rally has solid foundations," said Wang Huan of Zhang Investment Management, citing high liquidity, government efforts to ease tariff tensions, and confidence in the domestic economy. #China #Shanghai #HangSeng #stocks #FiatNews
Industrial producer prices in the Czech Republic fell again year-on-year in July, down 1.2%, while other sectors recorded rises—most notably agriculture, which climbed 11.2% though at a slower pace than in June, the Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ) reported. Construction work prices rose 2.6% and market services for businesses increased 4.1%. "Construction work prices increased by 2.6% and market services for businesses by 4.1%," said Jiří Šulc, head of the ČSÚ price statistics department for agriculture, construction and services.
Industrial prices have been contracting since February and the July decline accelerated from June’s 0.7% fall. Energy-related industrial prices (electricity, gas, steam, air conditioning) were down 4%, while industrial producer prices excluding energy were up 0.6%. Notable sector movements included chemical products -6.9%, coal -10.4% and food products +4% (dairy +11%, processed/canned meat +5%).
In agriculture, plant production rose 5.6% and animal production 17.8%; large increases were reported for fruit (+21.5%) and eggs (+42.5%), while potatoes fell 22.7%. Month-on-month in July, agricultural producer prices fell 1.9%, industrial producers rose 0.1%, construction work rose 0.3% and market services for businesses decreased 1.4%. #CzechRepublic #PPI #inflation #ČSÚ #FiatNews
US indices diverged on Friday: the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose ~0.2%, led by a ~2% gain in healthcare, with UnitedHealth jumping ~13% (#UNH). Nasdaq 100 fell ~0.5%; semiconductors were weaker overall aside from Intel, which rose >2% (#INTC), while AMD and Nvidia dropped over 1% (#AMD #NVDA). #Dow #Nasdaq #FiatNews
EUR/USD returned to about 1.17 after mixed US data and ahead of follow‑up diplomatic talks. A Trump‑Putin meeting prompted a planned Washington meeting between Trump, Zelensky and European leaders today. Markets remain skeptical on a Ukraine ceasefire this year, assigning about a 36% probability. #EURUSD #Ukraine #FiatNews
The Czech koruna opens the week just below 24.50 EUR/CZK. Domestic macro releases are light; today’s producer prices are the main local data point. Analysts expect slight year‑on‑year declines in industrial PPI due to cheaper energy and weak demand; agricultural and food price dynamics remain key for consumer inflation. #EURCZK #CzechRepublic #FiatNews
Fed chair Jerome Powell heads to the Jackson Hole symposium under heavy pressure from the White House to cut rates while US macro data remain ambiguous. FOMC dissent is growing over tariffs — seen by some as a short-term inflation boost but a medium-term tightening. Markets price a 25bp cut in mid‑September; Powell could wait for payrolls or signal a dovish pivot. #Fed #JacksonHole #FiatNews
Investors show defensive positioning: increased use of put options for downside protection, inflows into cash and gold, and a retreat from leveraged long ETFs. Retail sentiment now tilts bearish per the latest AAII survey; Bank of America reports 91% of respondents view US stocks as overvalued. #markets #gold #FiatNews
Futures on European equity indexes are mixed as of 9:00: Euro Stoxx 50 -0.1%, FTSE 100 +0.2%, DAX roughly flat at -0.0%. Markets opened with uneven signals across major benchmarks. #Stoxx50 #FTSE100 #DAX #FiatNews
Hundreds of thousands of Israelis marched yesterday to protest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to expand operations in the Gaza Strip. Separately, Israel's economy weakened after a 12‑day conflict with Iran led to the complete closure of many businesses. #Israel #Netanyahu #Gaza #FiatNews
The EU and US remain in talks over the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), complicating finalization of a text agreed in July. Sources say disagreements persist over wording tied to so‑called non‑tariff barriers, with the US contending the DSA contains such obstacles. #EU #DSA #US #FiatNews
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet today at the White House with Donald Trump and European leaders to discuss terms for a possible peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia. Attendees include French PM Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and UK PM Keir Starmer. #Zelensky #Trump #Ukraine #FiatNews
Legal experts say the US agreement with Nvidia and AMD to remit 15% of China revenues to the US government is unorthodox and may be unconstitutional; they suggest the matter could face litigation. The arrangement was described as unprecedented by commentators. #Nvidia #AMD #China #FiatNews
Global oil markets are headed toward a record surplus in 2026 as demand growth slows and supply rises. Inventories are projected to increase by about 2.46 million barrels per day, exceeding the pandemic-year rise in 2020. #Oil #Commodities #FiatNews
US July consumer inflation remained at 2.7% year-on-year, the US Department of Labor reported. The reading was unchanged from previous figures and was slightly below expectations for a small increase. #USInflation #CPI #FiatNews
Tencent exceeded expectations with 15% revenue growth and a 17% rise in net profit, strengthening investor confidence in its AI monetization strategy. The company reported double-digit gains across key segments, including advertising. #Tencent #AI #FiatNews
DeepSeek has delayed the rollout of a new AI model after efforts to train it using Huawei chips reportedly failed, according to the Financial Times citing multiple sources. The setback has pushed back the company's release plans. #AI #DeepSeek #FiatNews
Thyssenkrupp reported a deeper net loss for the third fiscal quarter and cut its full-year guidance for revenue and profit. The weaker results sent the company's shares down as much as 12% at Thursday trade open. #Thyssenkrupp #Earnings #FiatNews
Paul Krugman told Yahoo Finance that if President Trump selects the next Federal Reserve chair, that official could be subject to political influence from the White House. Krugman also noted views framing low rates as a "reward for good behavior." #Fed #Krugman #FiatNews
Czech beverage maker Kofola has acquired 100% of ASO VENDING, the largest operator of coffee, food and drink vending machines in Slovakia, expanding its presence in the Slovak market. #Kofola #M&A #FiatNews
The White House discussed a possible US government stake in Intel after a Monday meeting between administration officials and Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan. Details of the proposed stake were not specified in reports of the meeting. #Intel #USPolicy #FiatNews
Gemini, the cryptocurrency exchange founded by billionaire twins Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, has publicly filed paperwork for a U.S. initial public offering, Reuters reported on Aug. 15. Terms were not disclosed in the filing; an earlier report on Aug. 13 said the company aims to raise about US$500m and had filed confidentially in June. Representatives of lead banks declined to comment and Gemini did not respond to requests for comment. #IPO #crypto #Gemini
The offering’s syndicate is reported to be led by Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, with Morgan Stanley and Cantor also involved. Once Gemini’s registration is made public, it could begin a share sale as soon as 15 days later, allowing a potential launch immediately after the U.S. Labor Day holiday. The company has been conducting “testing the water” meetings with potential investors.
The filing comes amid a rebound in U.S. IPO activity and a recent flurry of digital-asset listings: stablecoin issuer Circle and exchange Bullish have both gone public this year, with Bullish raising an upsized US$1.1bn after pricing 30m primary shares at US$37. Circle priced a US$1.05bn Nasdaq IPO and quickly returned to the market with a 10m-share follow-on. Bitcoin has been trading near record highs around US$122,275, supporting heightened interest in crypto-related equity offerings.
Founded in 2014, Gemini operates a platform for buying, selling and storing crypto tokens and acquired wealth management platform Bitria in 2022 to provide registered investment advisers tools for managing crypto assets. #FiatNews
U.S. stocks remain expensive, but the narrative of a definitive end to American exceptionalism has eased. Year-to-date the S&P 500 is up about 10%, while markets outside the U.S. have risen roughly twice as much. The performance gap that opened around March–April has tended to narrow since then, suggesting a temporary US market underperformance rather than a structural collapse.
Looking at returns is informative, but valuation comparisons give a clearer picture of market standing. Developed markets ex‑USA trade at a price/earnings ratio of about 14.3, already noticeably above their 20‑year median. The U.S. is near a P/E of 23—well above historical norms—and emerging markets sit similarly above their standards. In dollar terms investors in the U.S. are paying roughly $23 for $1 of earnings versus up to $15.4 in Japan.
Valuation differences can stem from varying risk‑free rates, risk premia and growth expectations. U.S. government bond yields are relatively high versus the rest of the world, so to justify higher equity prices U.S. risk premia and/or growth forecasts must outweigh that yield advantage. Current markets indicate they do, producing the present ‘‘valuation exceptionalism.’’
On fundamentals, U.S. potential output has long been roughly double that of Europe and Japan, a gap some estimates say could widen further due to AI and other technologies. In that sense American exceptionalism persists at a structural level; on the returns front 2025 has shown only a temporary stumble rather than a decisive shift away from U.S. market leadership. #USstocks #SP500 #valuation #AI #FiatNews
Global equity markets are mostly positive ahead of a high‑profile summit. In the US, the S&P 500 was up 0.12% and the Dow Jones rose 0.59%, while the Nasdaq slipped 0.11%. European bourses were mixed: CAC 40 +0.58%, DAX +0.01%, Euronext 100 +0.19% and FTSE 100 -0.23%. Markets are awaiting diplomatic developments. #S&P500 #DAX #FiatNews
Former St. Louis Fed president James Bullard, discussed as a potential Fed chair candidate, said he would accept the role if the objective were preserving the dollar’s value and Fed independence. He told CNBC that tariffs appear to have only a mild, one‑time impact on the price level and are unlikely to disrupt long-term progress toward 2% inflation. Bullard said the Fed will probably cut rates in September and once more this year, with further easing possible next year—about a 1 percentage-point total that would bring rates near neutral. He expects inflation to move toward 2% and unemployment around 4% under that scenario. #Fed #FiatNews
Rick Rieder of BlackRock told CNBC he believes the current investing backdrop is the best in history. He cited a large pool of cash outside markets, strong buybacks and low IPO supply as supporting demand for equities, and noted that bond markets also offer attractive yields. Rieder said valuation concerns are offset by companies’ ability to boost profitability—especially the Mag 7—and that long-term inflation expectations are around 2.5% with core inflation under 3%. He sees housing exerting disinflationary pressure and believes the Fed has room to cut rates; he also warned that productivity developments could lead to a sharp rate drop followed by a sudden rise in inflation. #BlackRock #FiatNews
CNBC coverage highlights weaker-than-expected demand for Tesla's Cybertruck. Reservations once approached 1 million, but actual sales are only a small fraction. Reported issues: performance specs fell short of early claims (including towing capacity), real-world range below Tesla’s initial 500-mile figure, and a paid range upgrade (to ~470 miles) was later canceled for at least one buyer. Design and cargo access complaints, customer buybacks and rising competition — plus political sentiment around Elon Musk — are cited as factors that could limit future sales. #TSLA #Cybertruck #FiatNews
Chart from X shows U.S. equity returns in periods after markets hit new highs compared with returns from investing on any other day. The graphic’s takeaway: reaching record highs has not historically been a bad entry point — those subsequent returns are often higher than average. #Stocks #FiatNews
Berkshire Hathaway bought 5 million shares of UnitedHealth in Q2, a stake worth about $1.6 billion, and disclosed it sold roughly $1 billion of T‑Mobile US, exiting the telecom. The UNH disclosure pushed shares up 9.6% in after‑hours trading and 12.9% in premarket; UnitedHealth is still down more than 40% year‑to‑date. UnitedHealth has faced several crises recently, including last year’s killing of executive Brian Thompson, rising healthcare costs, an April earnings miss (the first in over a decade), a CEO change and plans to replace the CFO. During the quarter Berkshire also sold 20 million Apple shares (reducing its Apple stake value by about $9.2 billion), sold 26 million Bank of America shares lowering its stake to roughly 8%, took a $3.8 billion impairment on Kraft Heinz (leaving that stake unchanged in Q2), increased its position in homebuilder Lennar, trimmed D.R. Horton, and bought additional Nucor shares. Source: Bloomberg. #UNH #BRK.B #AAPL #FiatNews
Kofola has acquired 100% of ASO VENDING, the largest operator of coffee, food and beverage vending machines in Slovakia. The purchase price was not disclosed; Kofola shares opened unchanged. Rastislav Kráľ, former retail commercial director for Kofola ČeskoSlovensko, will head ASO VENDING; Daniela Dlouhá will replace him at Kofola. ASO VENDING operates about 8,000 machines, reported turnover of ~€18.8m (≈CZK 460.6m), employs ~180 people and uses over 600 external collaborators, serving more than 152,000 customers daily. Kofola said the deal fits its distribution and innovation strategy and expects synergies with its growing coffee assets, including holdings in Colombian and Panamanian coffee plantations. The Kofola group runs 14 production plants across five European markets and employs nearly 3,000 people. #Kofola #ASOVending #Slovakia #FiatNews
Geopolitics & events: President Trump said the upcoming Alaska summit with Vladimir Putin will not address potential territorial concessions by Ukraine, noting such topics could be discussed at a future summit with Ukraine present. He also said he will soon nominate a new Fed chair, with 3–4 candidates under consideration. After US markets close, Cisco will report quarterly results; Australian jobs data are due during the Asian session. #CSCO #FiatNews
Cryptocurrencies: Ethereum climbed more than 2% to $4,700, nearing its 2021 bull-market highs. Standard Chartered analysts see upside to $7,500 this year, citing higher on-chain settlement volumes for Ethereum. Bitcoin is consolidating around $120,000. #ETH #BTC #FiatNews
China equities and Alibaba: Chinese stocks are performing strongly in US trading; Alibaba (#BABA) gained over 3%. Futures on the HSCEI rose more than 2.5% amid improving US–China sentiment and hopes for a pickup in Chinese demand. #FiatNews
Oil: Crude prices fell ahead of Friday’s Trump–Putin meeting. US DOE data showed crude inventories rose by ~3 million barrels, well above estimates, weighing on WTI and pushing it below a key support level. #WTI #FiatNews
Economist Michael Pettis is skeptical that China can systematically replace the US as a market for Brazilian coffee, despite exporters' hopes. He notes that the US has historically served as the 'global consumer of last resort,' absorbing goods and effectively 'exporting' demand and employment. #FiatNews
US stock markets maintain a positive mood, with major indices in the green, continuing yesterday's growth driven by favorable inflation data and extended US-China trade truce reports. The Dow Jones is up over half a percent. #StockMarket #DowJones #FiatNews