First Pass

91 stories from 8 sources

Oil and inflation put the rally under pressure

Day’s Recap

Supporting Articles

9:08 PMEconomic Times

Global Market Today: Asian shares trade lower; oil holds gains

Summary

Asian stocks and futures edged lower while oil held recent gains as optimism over a deal affecting the Strait of Hormuz faded, reviving inflation concerns. Treasury yields rose, the yen weakened, and Australian bonds fell ahead of a policy decision.

The market is repricing the risk that prolonged energy disruption keeps inflation elevated, putting upward

Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story matters

Why it matters

Energy risk is again linking higher inflation expectations to weaker risk assets and tighter financial conditions across Asia.

4 stories · 3 sources

6:54 PMCNBC

Tuesday's big stock stories: What’s likely to move the market in the next trading session

Summary

Uncertainty surrounding Iran pushed oil prices higher and dragged down major stock indexes on Monday. The report previews the developments expected to influence trading in the next session.

The immediate market transmission remains the oil price: geopolitical uncertainty raises energy costs, which can

Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story matters

Why it matters

Geopolitical risk is affecting stocks primarily through its impact on energy prices and inflation.

2:37 PMEconomic Times

US bonds fall as markets weight inflation, Middle East risks

Summary

U.S. Treasury prices declined and yields rose as investors prepared for consumer and producer inflation data. Middle East tensions and upcoming Treasury auctions added uncertainty, while traders modestly reduced expectations for further Federal Reserve rate hikes.

Bond markets are balancing two opposing forces: weaker expected Fed tightening and a higher risk

Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story matters

Why it matters

Inflation data and auction demand could determine whether rising yields reflect better growth prospects or worsening fiscal and geopolitical risk.

8:50 AMFortune

Oil prices rise and analysts see Big Tech selloff linked to traders locking in gains

Summary

Oil prices rose as European and Asian stocks traded unevenly, while analysts linked a decline in Big Tech shares to traders taking profits after recent gains.

Profit-taking can pressure high-flying technology stocks without signaling a broad change in fundamentals, but rising

Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story matters

Why it matters

The combination of higher oil and profit-taking threatens both inflation-sensitive assets and richly valued technology stocks.

10:03 PMEconomic Times

Gold rises for third straight session, inflation prints in focus

Summary

Gold rose for a third consecutive session to a two-month high as traders awaited major U.S. inflation data and reassessed the outlook for interest rates after weaker employment signals.

The weaker labor backdrop has reduced expectations for additional Federal Reserve tightening, lowering the opportunity

Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story matters

Why it matters

Gold is being used as a direct gauge of changing expectations for U.S. rates and real yields.

2 stories · 2 sources

4:00 PMCNBC

Here's how the market may react to July's CPI report, according to JPMorgan

Summary

JPMorgan expects July's consumer price index report to produce potentially significant moves in stocks. The market's reaction will depend on how the data changes expectations for Federal Reserve policy.

The CPI release is a near-term test of whether markets have priced inflation and interest

Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story matters

Why it matters

One inflation report could quickly reprice both the Fed outlook and equity valuations.

9:30 AMMarketWatch

The U.S. economy is shedding jobs. Here’s why that’s good news for stocks.

Summary

A softer U.S. labor market could support stocks if weaker hiring allows the Federal Reserve to cut rates while wage growth remains contained.

The market is treating moderate labor-market deterioration as favorable because it reduces inflation pressure without

Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story matters

Why it matters

Investors are relying on a narrow path in which weaker employment lowers rates without triggering a recession.

10:11 PMEconomic Times

Yen steadies as intervention boost fades; RBA in focus

Summary

The yen stabilized after a sharp decline, but traders remained doubtful that coordinated U.S. and Japanese intervention would produce a lasting recovery. The Australian dollar climbed to an eight-week high ahead of the Reserve Bank of Australia's policy decision.

The yen's stabilization without a durable rebound suggests intervention can slow market moves but may

Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story matters

Why it matters

Currency markets are testing the limits of intervention while positioning for a potentially market-moving Australian policy signal.

2 stories · 2 sources

1:30 AMFinancial Times

Your move, BoJ

Summary

Attention is turning to the Bank of Japan after a weak jobs report, with markets assessing how the data should affect monetary policy.

The weak labor data complicates any case for faster policy tightening by pointing to softer

Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story matters

Why it matters

The jobs data could narrow the Bank of Japan's room to normalize policy without worsening economic weakness.

11:18 PMBloomberg Markets

Hong Kong May Expand Tax Breaks to Trading Firms, FT Says

Summary

Hong Kong may extend a new tax regime to trading firms including Jane Street and Citadel Securities, broadening incentives that have already attracted interest from hedge funds.

Including market makers would widen the reforms beyond traditional asset managers and lower the cost

Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story matters

Why it matters

Tax treatment for trading firms could influence where global liquidity and market-making operations are based.

2 stories · 2 sources

4:04 PMPYMNTS

Crypto Stocks Suffer as Investors Send AI Soaring

Summary

Investors are shifting money from cryptocurrency stocks into artificial intelligence companies, driving AI valuations higher while putting pressure on crypto-related equities. The move reflects a broader preference for AI's perceived commercial momentum over crypto's more speculative investment case.

Capital is rotating toward AI because investors now see clearer revenue growth and strategic demand

Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story matters

Why it matters

The trade shows how quickly investor enthusiasm can reprice entire technology sectors around a new growth narrative.

3:00 AMFortune

Top economist warns that the AI math doesn’t make sense: ‘Profits are currently being funded by investors rather than earned from customers’

Summary

Apollo Chief Economist Torsten Slok argues that the AI boom is producing growth without a sustainable profit model. He says investors are effectively funding reported profits because customer revenue has not yet justified the industry's spending and valuations.

The core vulnerability is the gap between capital flowing into AI and cash being generated

Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story matters

Why it matters

AI's expansion may be constrained less by technical progress than by whether customers will pay enough to support its infrastructure costs.

10:58 PMCNBC

Singapore revises its annual growth forecast sharply higher on AI-related boost

Summary

Singapore raised its 2026 growth forecast to 4.5% to 5.5%, more than doubling the lower end of its previous 2% to 4% range, as artificial intelligence-related activity strengthens the outlook.

The upgrade signals that AI investment and related trade are producing a broader lift for

Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story matters

Why it matters

Singapore is becoming an early test of whether the AI investment cycle can materially lift advanced Asian economies.

10:21 AMMarketWatch

Wall Street thinks inflation is under control. Here’s why investors shouldn’t buy it.

Summary

The article argues that returning inflation to the Federal Reserve's 2% target will not resolve the United States' debt burden. Sustained inflation may instead be needed to reduce the real value of government liabilities, even at the cost of weaker purchasing power.

The debt constraint now limits how durable a strict disinflation policy can be. Policymakers face

Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story matters

Why it matters

The debt outlook makes the Fed's inflation promise a test of fiscal credibility as much as monetary policy.

3:13 PMFortune

Trump’s $200 billion tariff hit swells budget deficit to $2.1 trillion for 2026, CBO confirms

Summary

The Congressional Budget Office projects a $2.1 trillion federal deficit for 2026, while the administration's tariff regime faces a constitutional challenge that could undermine its expected contribution to deficit reduction.

The key fiscal change is that tariffs cannot reliably serve as a deficit-reduction tool if

Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story matters

Why it matters

The tariff strategy's legal vulnerability could worsen an already projected trillion-dollar deficit.

5:23 PMCNBC

Trump says he spoke recently to Fed Chairman Warsh, denies regular calls

Summary

President Trump said he recently spoke with Federal Reserve Chairman Warsh but denied maintaining regular contact with him. His comments came amid concerns that White House pressure could undermine the central bank's independence.

The admission confirms direct presidential contact with the Fed chair while rejecting a pattern of

Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story matters

Why it matters

Perceived political influence over the Fed could raise borrowing costs and weaken confidence in U.S. monetary policy.

Other Developments

A curated list of other prominent stories from this day.

11:51 PMBloomberg Markets

Yuan’s March Against Dollar May Resume Next Month, Analysts Say

Summary

Analysts expect the yuan's recent period of stability to give way to renewed gains against the dollar as September approaches, supported by seasonal export strength and other recurring factors.

The yuan could regain momentum if stronger autumn exports increase foreign-currency receipts and improve confidence

Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story matters

Why it matters

The yuan's direction will influence China's policy flexibility and regional currency markets.

11:35 PMBloomberg Markets

Hong Kong Tech Index Set for Overhaul With More Firms, AI Focus

Summary

Hong Kong is preparing to broaden its main technology stock benchmark with more companies from the artificial-intelligence and robotics sectors, giving investors greater exposure to China's technology industry.

The overhaul would redirect index demand toward newer technology leaders and make the benchmark more

Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story matters

Why it matters

Index changes can move capital toward AI and robotics firms and reshape how investors access Chinese technology.

8:53 PMFinancial Times

Communist Vietnam bets on Korean-style ‘chaebols’ to boost growth

Summary

Vietnam is prioritizing the creation of large domestic conglomerates modeled partly on South Korea's chaebols, seeking to reduce its reliance on foreign investment and trade-led growth.

The policy shifts Hanoi's focus toward building national champions with enough scale to drive investment,

Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story matters

Why it matters

Vietnam is trying to move from an investment destination to a more self-sustaining industrial power, with governance risks built into the strategy.

7:47 PMBloomberg Markets

Colombia Inflation Unexpectedly Slows, Easing Pressure on Rates

Summary

Colombia's inflation cooled last month, giving the central bank some relief after it unexpectedly left interest rates unchanged at its latest meeting.

The softer inflation reading reduces the immediate case for tighter policy and may give officials

Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story matters

Why it matters

Lower inflation improves the odds that Colombia's central bank can shift toward rate cuts without reigniting price pressures.

7:00 PMBloomberg Markets

Traders Are Piling Into Taiwan Dollar Options to Bet on Rebound

Summary

Currency traders are increasing bullish options positions on the Taiwan dollar after its worst July performance since 2015.

The options activity marks a shift from defending against further weakness to positioning for a

Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story matters

Why it matters

A Taiwan dollar rebound would signal improving appetite for Asian assets after a sharp period of stress.

10:05 AMPYMNTS

Bitcoin ETFs Enjoy Stronger Inflows Following Crypto Hack

Summary

US-listed bitcoin ETFs attracted more than $850 million last week, their strongest inflows since April, after news of a crypto hack.

The inflows suggest investors are choosing regulated exchange-traded exposure even as security risks remain visible

Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story matters

Why it matters

Strong ETF demand indicates that institutional-style access is gaining ground despite continuing risks in the underlying crypto ecosystem.

5:19 AMMarketWatch

Wall Street’s biggest bank just raised its expectations for the stock market

Summary

JPMorgan raised its year-end target for the S&P 500 to 8,000 from 7,800.

The higher target reflects stronger expected earnings or valuation support, but it also raises the

Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story matters

Why it matters

A higher target from a major bank can reinforce bullish positioning, while making any earnings or policy disappointment more consequential.

12:00 AMFinancial Times

German economy minister warns AfD’s rise could deter investors

Summary

German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche warned that the AfD’s political rise could discourage investors as Berlin seeks to attract €3.75 trillion in private capital by 2040.

Political uncertainty is becoming a direct obstacle to Germany’s investment plans. If investors view the

Unlock the full First Pass Analysis to get a better understanding of why this story matters

Why it matters

Germany’s ability to finance its long-term growth and infrastructure goals depends on preserving investor confidence.

Make it yours

Build Your First Pass.

Pick your topics, set your cadence, and receive your personalized First Pass in your inbox. It’s that simple!