This week in Asia, Japan's stock market is riding an extraordinary AI wave. But behind the surge in AI and semiconductor stocks, there is another powerful market force, the weak Yen.


Japan's AI boom rides on a weak Yen 

The Iran crisis has reshaped global energy markets, sending crude oil prices soaring and delivering massive profits to the world's biggest oil companies. As disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz pushed oil above $126 per barrel, energy giants including Saudi Aramco, ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, BP, and TotalEnergies reported record quarterly earnings.

Combined profits reached nearly $93 billion between April and June, while consumers worldwide struggled with soaring fuel and energy costs. The windfall has sparked political criticism and renewed calls for stronger taxes on excess profits and greater investment in clean energy.

Iran War Fuels Oil Profits: Energy Giants Earn $93 Billion in Just 3 Months

Truth Social has launched a premium Truth API service that offers real-time access to posts for subscribers paying as much as $100,000 per month. While premium data feeds are common across social media platforms, this service has sparked controversy because the platform's most influential user is U.S. President Donald Trump.

The subscription is reportedly aimed at high-frequency trading firms, hedge funds, financial institutions, and news organizations seeking instant access to market-moving information. Critics argue that when a sitting president's social media posts can influence stock markets, commodities, tariffs, and geopolitical developments, faster access could create an unfair financial advantage for those who can afford it.

Trump's $100K Truth Social API Sparks Insider Trading Fears | Can Presidential Posts Be Sold?

South Korea's Supreme Court has delivered what is being called the country's "Divorce of the Year." SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won has been ordered to pay 944 billion won to his former wife, Roh So-young, in one of the largest divorce settlements in South Korean history. The landmark ruling has drawn attention to Chey's massive stake in SK Group, South Korea's second-largest conglomerate. Analysts believe the billionaire may need to sell shares or use them as collateral to fund the record payment.

Chey Tae-Won to Pay 944 Billion Won to Wife | Wion News 

Does the stock market perform better during certain months of the year? In this News by Numbers report, we break down the historical seasonal performance of the S&P 500, revealing which months have consistently delivered the strongest returns—and which have historically underperformed.

Using decades of market data, we examine how seasonal trends have influenced Wall Street, investor sentiment, and long-term investment strategies. While history does not guarantee future performance, these patterns provide valuable insight into how the market has behaved over time.

S&P 500 Seasonal Trends: Which months deliver the best Stock Market Returns?

Trump Media & Technology Group has launched Truth API, a premium licensed data feed that gives banks, financial institutions, and high-frequency trading firms the fastest access to posts from Truth Social's most influential accounts, including U.S. President Donald Trump.

The company says the service is designed for organizations where milliseconds matter, allowing institutional clients to receive market-moving updates faster than regular Truth Social notifications. Truth API also marks Trump Media's first major step into the financial data licensing business, opening a new revenue stream beyond social media.

Trump's Truth Social launches truth api | Wall Street gets fastest access to market-moving posts

IBM shares plunged 25% in their steepest single-day decline since 1968 after the company issued a preliminary earnings warning that fell short of Wall Street expectations. The sharp selloff wiped out more than $100 billion in market value and erased much of the company's AI-driven gains from earlier this year.

IBM blamed weaker-than-expected results on a global memory chip shortage, saying customers redirected spending toward AI servers, storage, and memory hardware instead of software and mainframes. The warning also weighed on the broader technology sector, with software stocks declining while chipmakers and storage companies gained as investors shifted toward AI infrastructure.

IBM shares plunge 25% after shock earnings warning, ai chip shortage hits software demand

Markets are shifting into risk-off mode. Crude oil surged over 5% as tensions and supply fears pushed prices up, triggering fresh demand for the US dollar. The dollar is now trading at a one-week high on safe haven demand, which took the shine off gold and silver. Global equities faced selling pressure as investors moved away from risk.

Crude oil jumps 5% | Dollar hits 1-week high as gold & stocks fall

South Korea marked its worst trading session on Tuesday since March. The Korean stock benchmark KOSPI plunged 10 percent, triggering a circuit breaker. The drop marked the 13th sell-side trading halt of the year.

What Led to S. Korean Stocks Crash This Week?

America's stock market is no longer just America's. A historic shift is underway in who owns US stocks, and the numbers are staggering.


Who Really Owns the US Stock Market?

Wall Street stocks marked eight straight weeks of gains. That is the longest winning streak in market history, and it is leaving American investors richer than ever.


Stock Gains Dwarf Dot-Com Bubble Era Highs 

Global investors are rapidly returning to Chinese equities. Foreign inflows into Chinese stocks surged to $29 billion in April, the highest monthly inflow since January and the fifth-largest monthly intake on record. The sharp rebound comes after two straight months of outflows in February and March.


Chinese Equities See 5th-largest Monthly Foreign Inflow

The Iran war is disrupting global fertiliser supplies. Key shipping routes are under strain, delaying urea exports and choking trade flows. Production in the gulf has dropped sharply, while vessels remain stuck near ports. With limited storage, producers risk shutdowns, further tightening supply. In the next news in numbers report, we break down the impact on global fertiliser markets. Take a look.


Fertiliser Chaos: Which Regions Are at the Most Risk

Indian markets faced pressure this week as disappointing earnings and weak guidance from major tech companies dented investor sentiment. The benchmark Nifty 50 came under strain after JPMorgan Chase trimmed its base target, signalling caution ahead. Analysts say a mix of global uncertainty and softer growth outlook has weighed on equities, raising fresh questions about the near-term direction of Indian markets.


What Moved Indian Markets Over The Past Week?

Taiwan’s stock market is hitting a historic milestone, surpassing the UK in total market value, driven by record foreign inflows. The market has tripled since 2020, sharply outperforming major global peers. Take a look at this report.

Taiwan's Stock Market Makes History

Markets went wild and some traders walked away with billions in minutes. Now U.S. regulators are probing suspiciously timed oil trades placed right before the mysterious 'TACO' event. The question on Wall Street: were these just the best-timed bets in history, or did insiders know something the public didn’t? With fortunes made on razor-thin timing, the line between genius and inside info is under the microscope.


Billions in Minutes: Wild Market Moves Spark Insider Trading Probe

Indian stock markets extended their rally after a 2% surge, with benchmarks gaining momentum alongside broader gains across Asian markets. Investor sentiment improved on hopes of a possible US-Iran peace deal, easing global geopolitical concerns and supporting risk appetite. 

Breaking: Indian Stocks Rally Builds After 2% Surge | Asia Markets Extend Gains on Peace Deal Hopes 

Global stock markets surged after fresh hopes of a ceasefire in the US-Iran conflict boosted investor confidence and eased fears of prolonged instability in West Asia.


US-Iran War: Stocks Rise As Ceasefire Hopes Lift Sentiment

Markets experienced extreme volatility following recent remarks by Donald Trump. Stock prices, cryptocurrency values, and tech shares fluctuated sharply, prompting questions about possible insider trading. Analysts caution investors to stay alert, as regulatory investigations may follow.

Wild Market Swings After Trump Remarks Raise Insider Trading Concerns Globally

US Stocks closed mostly lower on Wednesday, with the Dow leading the decline. Investors looked past the latest inflation report, instead focusing on rising oil prices and their impact on future rate cuts. Meanwhile, tech, food, and defence stocks saw big moves on earnings and forecasts.


US Stocks Mixed as Dow Leads Market Decline

Asian stock markets tumbled sharply as geopolitical tensions and rising global uncertainties spooked investors. Japan’s Nikkei index fell 5.2%, marking one of its steepest declines in recent months.
Market participants moved quickly to safe-haven assets, including gold, U.S. Treasuries, and the Japanese yen, amid fears of further volatility. Analysts warn that ongoing conflicts and oil price surges are contributing to the flight from equities across the region.

Breaking: Asian Stocks Crash | Japan’s Nikkei Falls 5.2%, Investors Seek Safe Havens

South Korea has overtaken France in total stock market value after a powerful rally driven by artificial intelligence stocks.


South Korea Now the World's 9th Largest Equity Market

Global companies are being forced to rethink how they do business in China. Price wars are spreading across industries, domestic players are undercutting global brands, and consumer demand remains under pressure. Our next report delves into how brands are resetting their China strategy.

U.S. Firms Worry More About Demand Than Trade

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