Trump Demands Compensation From Iran, Denting Hopes for Hormuz Deal
U.S. President Donald Trump made sweeping new demands on Iran after Tehran reiterated its own calls for reparations, dimming hopes of a quick deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and sending oil prices surging again, Bloomberg reported. On social media, Trump said he is demanding compensation from Iran for people killed and wounded by its roadside bombs and conflicts, and for families of protesters he said Iran has killed over the past 50 years. He said the demands, later expanded to cover damages in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Gaza, would be placed firmly into all future negotiations—terms Iran is almost certain to reject. The hardening on both sides makes any immediate Hormuz pact unlikely, even after Trump and other US officials had recently suggested a deal was nearing. Brent crude rose about 5% Monday to end near $88 a barrel, and European diesel futures jumped more than 10% as refineries in Saudi Arabia, Libya and Russia also came under attack, according to Bloomberg. Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said the strait's reopening is contingent on the US ceasing what he called illegal actions, lifting the siege and paying compensation. Trump insisted compensation for Iran was never discussed, though the 14-point June memorandum details a planned $300 billion fund for Iran's postwar rehabilitation. Trump said Monday that Hormuz is "open now" and controlled by the US, and signaled he would let economic pressure build rather than launch fresh strikes. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Trump got the US into an illegal war and has no way out. Over the weekend Iran named hard-liner Mohsen Rezaee, an advocate of full Iranian control over the waterway, to head its Supreme National Security Council.
Bitcoin rose 0.54% since midnight UTC to $65,209 and Ether gained 0.86% to $1,925 as the crypto market opened the week on a constructive note, with sentiment stabilizing following July's turbulence. The move correlated with Nasdaq 100 futures rising 0.45%, buoyed by reports from the Middle East that Iran is ready to strike a deal with Oman to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Bitcoin's 30-day implied volatility index BVIV fell to a 2026 year-to-date low of 35.59% — signaling expectations for calm even as put options continue to trade at a premium to calls. The long-short taker ratio flipped bullish with longs accounting for 52% of flow. BTC calls at the $68,000 and $70,000 strikes dominate 24-hour Deribit volume, providing the options market's directional read on where sophisticated participants expect Bitcoin to go if the Hormuz deal materializes. The altcoin market is delicately poised, waiting to see if Bitcoin can drive into the $68,000-$72,000 range before capital rotation into altcoins begins — with the CoinMarketCap Altcoin Season indicator falling to 37/100 from last week's peak of 51/100 as investors focus on Bitcoin's potential move higher. The Iran-Oman Deal Signal — The Hormuz Framework That Has Been Missing Reports that Iran is ready to strike a deal with Oman to reopen the Strait of Hormuz introduce a new diplomatic architecture to the six-month conflict's resolution framework. Prior ceasefire signals — Trump's WWII-scale canceled strike disclosure, Monday's deal-imminent language, the Iran-Jordan ballistic missile exchange that followed — have all been bilateral US-Iran frameworks that lacked a credible third-party guarantor. Oman's involvement as an intermediary is structurally different: Oman has maintained diplomatic relations with Iran throughout the conflict, has previously facilitated US-Iran back-channel communications on the nuclear issue, and has credibility with both Washington and Tehran that Saudi Arabia — which has been an active military participant in the conflict — does not possess. An Iran-Oman deal framework specifically targeting Hormuz reopening addresses the most direct inflationary channel that has suppressed Bitcoin all summer. Hormuz carrying approximately 20% of global oil and gas supplies at 8 ships per day versus 110 pre-conflict is the single variable most directly responsible for oil above $80, fuel prices running 15.7% above year-ago levels, and the Federal Reserve's September rate hike probability remaining above 50%. A credible Oman-mediated Hormuz reopening deal would begin unwinding the oil risk premium that has been the macro chain trapping Bitcoin since May — the same chain Fidelity's Jurrien Timmer identified as the mechanism where oil up feeds inflation, inflation keeps yields and dollar firm, and firmer financial conditions cap risk assets. BVIV at 35.59% — 2026's Lowest, the Floor That Historically Triggers Volatility Bitcoin's BVIV falling to 35.59% — a 2026 year-to-date low — continues the pattern of implied volatility compression toward the historical floor that has preceded major directional moves throughout Bitcoin's post-ETF history. The BVIV has been declining steadily from the 60%+ peaks recorded during the February and early June selloffs — falling through 40% pre-FOMC, declining to 37% at July's close, and now reaching 35.59% as the weekend Iran-Oman deal reports reduced near-term geopolitical stress pricing. The specific tension Adler's analysis identifies — put options still trading at a premium to calls despite BVIV at record lows — describes a market where the aggregate fear gauge is compressed but tail risk protection continues to be purchased. The $60,000 and $62,000 puts that have dominated Deribit volume throughout the current period and the 35.59% BVIV coexist because sophisticated traders are buying cheap puts against a backdrop of general complacency. When BVIV eventually bounces from this floor — as it has historically at 35-38% — the direction of that bounce determines Bitcoin's next significant move: upward BVIV with stable or rising price signals a genuine volatility expansion into a bull move; upward BVIV with falling price signals the breakdown through $62,873 that the $60,000 puts are hedging. BTC Calls at $68,000 and $70,000 — Options Market Targets the STH Resistance Zone The 24-hour Deribit volume ranking being dominated by BTC calls at $68,000 and $70,000 — with Ether options showing a similar upside-biased profile — is the options market's most direct expression of where participants expect prices to go if the Hormuz deal materializes. The $68,000 level aligns precisely with the CryptoQuant STH realized price at $67,523 and the Bitfinex STH cost basis at $68,500 — the zone where 279 of 284 prior closing attempts have been rejected. The $70,000 level is the lower bound of the Deribit $70,000-$72,000 bull call spread cluster that held $5 billion in open interest before the July 31 expiry. Options traders buying $68,000 and $70,000 calls are positioning for a scenario where the Iran-Oman deal reduces oil below $80, September rate hike odds compress from the current level, the STH resistance zone at $67,523-$68,500 is cleared, and Bitcoin enters the air pocket that Bitfinex identified as the zone of minimal resistance between $68,500 and $84,000. The simultaneous premium on put options reflects the same traders hedging the scenario where the Hormuz deal fails — as every prior ceasefire signal has ultimately done — and Bitcoin returns to test the 200-week SMA at $62,873. Derivatives Snapshot — Bullish Lean on Low Volume BTC futures open interest slipping back below 750,000 BTC despite the bullish long-short ratio confirms the exhaustion framework: the market is leaning bullish on limited conviction rather than building leveraged positions into a directional move. Positive annualized funding rates and positive 24-hour OI-adjusted CVD confirm that the reduced interest that is active in the market is expressing a bullish bias — longs are more aggressive than shorts — but the absence of OI growth means this bias is not being backed by capital deployment. ETH futures open interest falling to 13.35 million tokens — the lowest since May 3 and a significant drop from the late-May peak of 15.98 million — describes continued de-risking in Ether despite ETH's 0.86% session gain and the $2,000 call dominance in options volume. The divergence between ETH spot outperformance and ETH futures de-risking suggests that the ETH gains are being driven by spot buyers rather than leveraged futures positioning — consistent with Bitmine's 10,000+ ETH weekly accumulation and ETH ETF inflows rather than retail speculation. SOL futures rebounding to 64.60 million tokens from the recent 60 million low — alongside SOL recovering from nearly $70 to over $76 and breaking above the Ichimoku cloud — is the week's most technically significant altcoin derivatives signal. A break above the Ichimoku cloud is a widely tracked momentum confirmation indicator. Combined with rising OI, it suggests fresh capital is entering SOL rather than existing shorts covering. Monero's 5% Surge — 28% Funding Rate, Most Positive CVD Among Majors Monero's 5% 24-hour gain — briefly topping $400 for the first time since June 12 — with futures open interest jumping 6% and annualized funding rates at 28%, the highest among major cryptocurrencies, describes the most aggressively bullish derivatives positioning in the current market. A 28% annualized funding rate means longs are paying 28% per year to maintain their positions — the cost bulls are willing to pay to hold leveraged Monero exposure. The most positive OI-adjusted CVD among majors confirms that buyers are executing through market orders rather than passive limit orders — the signature of conviction-driven directional positioning rather than passive accumulation. Token Performance — WLD +13%, PUMP +5.4%, ENA +4.84%, Altcoin Season 37/100 Worldcoin's 13% 24-hour gain stands as the session's largest altcoin move despite the token remaining 91% below its record high set one year ago — a reminder that percentage gains from extreme lows can be dramatic without constituting recovery. PUMP's 5.39% extension pushed its market cap above $1.1 billion. ENA's 4.84% gain to $0.0907 continues a steady two-week recovery that still leaves it more than 90% below its all-time high. NEAR's 3.79% gain alongside FET's 2.10% recovery reflects the AI token sector's broader rebound after weeks of underperformance driven by the AI trade repricing from the China DUV breakthrough. LIT's 0.94% decline continues its post-July-peak correction from the 200%+ May-to-July rally. The Altcoin Season indicator's decline from 51/100 last week to 37/100 — moving further below neutral — reflects the rotation back toward Bitcoin as the Hormuz deal narrative concentrates investor focus on whether Bitcoin can drive into the $68,000-$72,000 range rather than spreading attention across altcoins. A reading of 37/100 is meaningfully below the 55/100 peak seen during July's DeFi-led sessions and describes a market where altcoin breadth is deteriorating rather than broadening — consistent with the narrative that altcoin outperformance requires Bitcoin to first establish itself above $68,500 before capital rotation follows.
Intel Reportedly Plans Larger Stock Offering, Raising About $20 Billion
Intel is seeking to raise about $20 billion in a share sale, a third more than it targeted when it announced the deal Monday morning, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The chipmaker is poised to price the offering at around $95 a share or above, which would represent a 6.5% discount to Friday's close, the people said. The deal could grow well beyond $20 billion if an over-allotment option is exercised, and it has drawn more than $100 billion in demand, they added. Deliberations are ongoing and details including size and pricing could still change. A spokesperson for Intel declined to comment, while JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Citigroup are working on the offering, which is said to be multiple times oversubscribed. Intel's shares were little changed in after-hours trading after falling 4.1% on Monday, but remain up roughly 164% this year after CEO Lip-Bu Tan made cleaning up the company's finances a priority, according to Bloomberg. That effort has included attracting outside investments from the US government and even chip rivals such as Nvidia. The year's biggest US equity offerings have been dominated by companies riding the AI spending boom: Alphabet is raising as much as $85 billion through equity offerings, and Oracle's plans include a $20 billion at-the-market share sale program.
US MARKET CLOSE | Stocks Slip as US-Iran Doubts Linger; Oil Jumps, Intel Drags Chips Lower
US stocks closed modestly lower on Monday as doubts grew over whether the US and Iran can reach a lasting near-term resolution, according to Sina Finance. The Dow fell 60.949 points, or 0.11%, to 53,975.98; the Nasdaq dropped 85.258 points, or 0.32%, to 26,605.36; and the S&P 500 slipped 4.53 points, or 0.06%, to 7,753.11. Intel was among the day's biggest drags, falling 4% after the company said it would issue $15 billion in common stock. Other decliners included Nvidia and Apple, down 2.9% and 1.5% respectively. Iran said it was close to a deal with Oman to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but Tehran maintained it would not hold direct talks with the US until certain conditions are met. According to Tasnim, a semi-official news agency linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi said Sunday that restarting talks would be "impossible" as long as the US continues to violate a memorandum of understanding signed in June and fails to compensate for its "violations." Oil prices rose Monday on market uncertainty. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures closed up about 5.1% at $82.13 a barrel, with crude inventories in the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve falling to their lowest level since January 1983. The international benchmark, Brent crude futures, settled 5% higher at $87.72 a barrel. Last week, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent strongly hinted in an interview that a deal was near. But President Trump told Axios on Sunday that the US and Iran were "only half negotiating," saying he wanted the Middle Eastern country to feel economic pressure. "Everyone is tired of the back and forth," said Zachary Hill, head of portfolio management at Horizon Investments. "But every time tensions in the Middle East flare up, they are smaller in scale than what we've seen before, so I think that partly explains today," he added, especially against a backdrop where "earnings-season fundamentals are so strong." The three major US indices had just come off their best week since April, with the S&P 500 closing at a record high last week. Stocks got a boost last Friday after the July nonfarm payrolls report showed an unexpected contraction in jobs, raising investor hopes that the Federal Reserve would hold off on further tightening. According to the CME FedWatch tool, fed funds futures traders now put the probability of a September rate move at about 52%, down from 67% a week earlier.
STOCKS | European Shares End Flat at Record Highs as Earnings Optimism Supports Markets
European shares closed at a record high, with trading broadly subdued. According to Sina Finance, energy stocks rose with oil prices, while rate-sensitive utilities and real estate shares fell, and the benchmark STOXX Europe 600 finished little changed. Technology stocks also performed well, helped by gains in some semiconductor-related shares, while media stocks lagged. Brent crude climbed above $86 a barrel because an agreement on opening the Strait of Hormuz had still not been reached, putting pressure on government bonds and rate-sensitive sectors. Imperial Brands fell 4.6% after Bloomberg reported that the cigarette maker was preparing to cut thousands of jobs in major markets as part of a broad cost-cutting plan. According to Sina Finance, European benchmark equities have returned to record highs as the second-quarter earnings season has beaten expectations, and Bloomberg industry research showed that profits for MSCI Europe index constituents rose 17% year on year, the biggest increase since late 2022. Major companies due to report this week include A.P. Moller-Maersk, E.On SE and ABN Amro. Ulrich Urbahn, head of multi-asset strategy and research at Berenberg, said corporate earnings have outperformed most expectations given geopolitical turmoil, tariff uncertainty and initially high market consensus, and added that macro data, especially bonds' reaction to U.S. inflation data, should matter more this week than broad earnings beats. U.S. inflation data is due on Wednesday, and a Bloomberg survey of analysts showed that euro-area growth is expected to accelerate after the economy displayed surprising resilience to the shock from the Iran war.
Strategy CEO Phong Le Says Bitcoin Sales Did Not Affect the Market
Strategy CEO Phong Le said Bitcoin fell 4% in the week the company sold $2 million worth of Bitcoin, then dropped 11% the following week. According to Odaily, he said Bitcoin rose 6% in the week Strategy sold $216 million worth of Bitcoin a month later. He added that Strategy’s Bitcoin sales did not affect the market.
South Korea's Supreme Court Proposes Rule Allowing Crypto Asset Freezes in Debt Cases
South Korea's Supreme Court has proposed an amendment to its Civil Execution Rules to establish a standardized procedure allowing creditors to freeze, identify, and liquidate debtors' virtual assets. According to Odaily, courts could require exchanges to disclose the type and amount of crypto assets held by a debtor within seven days of receiving an order and freeze the corresponding assets. The proposal’s public comment period ends on August 11, and it is expected to take effect on October 1. After assets are identified and frozen, the court could assign them to creditors or order liquidation, with virtual asset service providers carrying out the sale.
PRECIOUS METALS | Pepperstone's Chris Weston Says Gold Is Testing $4,400 an Ounce
According to Sina Finance, Pepperstone research head Chris Weston said gold has returned firmly to traders' attention. He said gold and silver have risen after breaking out of a consolidation range that lasted from late June to August 3, and gold is now testing $4,400 an ounce. Weston said the breakout above July's high came with decisive buying pressure, and the subsequent momentum showed bulls were in control. Client activity has also increased, with positioning tilted toward the long side. He added that 60% of all open gold positions are currently long.
Meta Faces $1.4 Trillion Youth Safety Lawsuit in California
Meta will face a jury-selection hearing on August 12 in federal court in Oakland, California, in a lawsuit brought by California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey that accuses its social media platforms of addictive design that harmed minors, according to Jiemian News. The states are seeking up to $1.4 trillion in damages. The complaint says Meta knew Facebook and Instagram’s algorithms could harm teenagers but hid internal research from the public and regulators. It also alleges Meta failed to enforce age verification, allowed children under 13 to use the platforms without parental consent, and unlawfully collected minors’ personal data in violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. The filing says Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg is among the key witnesses the prosecution plans to call. Meta said the damages claim has no evidentiary support and called the calculation legally and factually baseless. Jiemian News also reported that Meta was ordered last week by a New Mexico state court to pay an additional $567 million and change teen-facing features on its platforms, after an earlier $375 million civil penalty in the same case, bringing the total above $900 million.
BlackRock Canada Launches Two ETFs, Including Bitcoin-Linked IBQT
BlackRock Canada launched two exchange-traded funds on Monday: the iShares Equity + Bitcoin ETF Portfolio (IBQT) and the iShares Core MSCI All-International Equity Index ETF (XINT). According to Odaily, both funds began trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange. IBQT allocates 97% of its assets to stocks in Canada, the U.S., international markets and emerging markets, with 3% allocated to Bitcoin. It gains Bitcoin exposure through BlackRock's Canadian iShares Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) and mainly holds other iShares ETFs rather than individual stocks. XINT tracks the MSCI ACWI ex North America IMI Index and covers more than 5,000 companies across more than 40 developed and emerging markets outside Canada and the U.S. BlackRock Asset Management Canada manages both funds through the RBC iShares alliance.
Ethereum Staking Hits Record 41.7 Million ETH as Price Weakens
Ethereum staking has reached a record high, with about 41.7 million ETH now staked, equal to roughly one-third of total supply. According to ChainCatcher, ETH staking has continued to rise even as the token has fallen from about $3,400 in January to around $1,900. Market analysis cited in the article said staking rewards continue to accrue, allowing validators to earn returns and redeploy part of those rewards back into staking, which has helped expand the amount of staked ETH further. The article said the higher staking ratio indicates growing confidence among long-term holders and institutions in Ethereum's network security and future ecosystem development, while also noting that a larger amount of ETH locked in staking could affect market liquidity.
Coinsbuy Says It Fully Compensated Users After Attack and Resumed Operations
Coinsbuy said all affected users have been fully compensated from the platform's own reserves after a previous attack. According to Foresight News, the platform has resumed normal operations and all services are now available. Coinsbuy also offered a $100,000 reward for information on the attacker and said it will provide additional rewards for help recovering stolen funds. According to Foresight News, on-chain analyst Specter previously reported that Coinsbuy-linked wallets were hacked on Ethereum and TRON, with losses exceeding $7.9 million, and that the attacker later laundered the funds into XMR through exchanges.
Keel Infrastructure Corp. Closes U.S. Bitcoin Mining Business and Plans AI Data Center Conversion
Keel Infrastructure Corp., formerly Bitfarms, said in its second-quarter earnings report that it has shut down all U.S. Bitcoin mining operations and is preparing to convert the sites into AI and high-performance computing data centers. According to Odaily, the company sold 1,085 BTC between April 1 and August 7 for $75 million and still holds 1,861 BTC. Keel CEO said power supply is the limiting factor, while three priority sites are close to receiving all permits and several potential tenants are in talks. The company also said it has $819 million in liquid assets and unused 2027 power capacity.
STOCKS | South Korea's KOSPI Opens Lower, SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics Fall
According to Jin10, South Korea's KOSPI Index opened down 76.93 points, or 1.22%, at 6,222.73 on Tuesday, with SK Hynix falling 2.8% and Samsung Electronics falling 0.7%.
PRECIOUS METALS | Shanghai Gold and Silver Futures Close Higher; SC Crude Oil Rises 4.06%
According to Jin10, at the 2:30 a.m. close, the main Shanghai gold contract rose 0.66% to 950 yuan per gram, the main Shanghai silver contract rose 1.89% to 15,884 yuan per kilogram, and the main SC crude oil contract rose 4.06% to 554 yuan per barrel.
BRENTOIL Short Position Is Fully Liquidated as Oil Prices Rise
A BRENTOIL short position at one address was fully liquidated, resulting in a loss of $1.33 million. According to Odaily, the liquidation occurred as oil prices rose.
Oil Prices Rise 5% as Iran Repeats U.S. Maritime Blockade Is an Act of Aggression
WTI crude rose 5.00% intraday to $80.17 per barrel, while Brent crude gained 5.00% to $85.58 per barrel. According to Odaily, Iran’s Foreign Ministry reiterated that the U.S. maritime blockade against Iran is an act of aggression.
Trump Media Posts More Than $238 Million Second-Quarter Loss on Less Than $2 Million in Revenue
According to CNBC, Trump Media & Technology Group reported a net loss of more than $238 million in its fiscal second quarter on revenue of less than $2 million. The company said the loss was driven mainly by declines in non-cash assets, including more than $190 million in losses from digital assets, digital assets pledged and equity securities. Revenue came in at $1.7 million, mostly from ad services on Truth Social, up 89% from a year earlier, while operating expenses topped $165 million, about 275% higher year over year. Chief Financial Officer Phillip Juhan said operating expenses were largely affected by volatility in digital asset prices. Trump Media also said it has signed more than 10 customer agreements for its Truth API service, mainly with high-frequency trading firms paying $60,000 to $100,000 a month.
UP Surges Over 430% in 24 Hours as Market Cap Peaks at $7.83 Million
According to market data from DEX Screener, UP rose more than 430% in 24 hours and briefly reached a market capitalization of $7.83 million. According to Foresight News, its market cap has since eased slightly to $6.82 million.
Gold Climbs Above $4,400 to Two-Month High Before US Inflation Data
Gold advanced to a two-month high above $4,400 an ounce ahead of a key US inflation report that could offer fresh clues on the Federal Reserve's appetite for a rate hike, Bloomberg reported. Bullion rose as much as 1% on Tuesday after adding 3.6% over the previous two sessions, with technical buying spurred by the metal's break above its 100-day moving average on Monday. The move added to signs of recovery amid dip-buying in recent weeks and stronger inflows into gold-backed ETFs in China. Vantage Markets analyst Hebe Chen said the pieces around gold are finally moving into place, giving the recovery the shape of an early-stage shift into a new cycle, and that its ability to rise alongside higher oil prices and a stronger dollar suggests traders are pricing it through a different lens. Attention now turns to Wednesday's US inflation data, with the consumer price index seen rising 0.1% in July after a 0.4% decline the prior month, according to a Bloomberg survey. After Friday's weak jobs report, a moderation in price growth could ease some inflation anxiety at the Fed, though the odds of a hike—negative for non-yielding gold—would build if higher energy prices add pressure. U.S. President Donald Trump made sweeping new demands on Iran on Monday, a hardening stance that dims hopes for a Hormuz deal. Trump also played down his contacts with Fed Chair Kevin Warsh, saying he had spoken with him only once, briefly, since May. Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack, one of three dissenters last month, said several hikes may be needed to reach the 2% target. Spot gold was last up 0.6% at $4,415.35 an ounce, though bullion remains about 16% below pre-war levels.
U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve Falls Below 300 Million Barrels
According to CNBC, the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve fell to 298.7 million barrels last week, its lowest level since 1983, as global oil stockpiles come under pressure because of the Iran war. The Department of Energy released the data.
Gold Challenges $4,380 as U.S. Jobs Data Supports Prices
Gold prices tested the $4,380 level after stronger-than-expected U.S. nonfarm payroll data. According to ChainCatcher, bears still have not lost their final chance as the market watches whether the price can hold above the key level.
JPMorgan Says SK Hynix's Worst Phase May Be Over After Share Price Drop
JPMorgan said the recent decline in SK Hynix's share price was driven by several market headlines, including reduced HBM chip capacity, uncertainty over pricing, unclear timing for a shareholder return plan tied to a possible subsidiary IPO, and disclosure of a large infrastructure capital spending plan. According to Odaily, the bank said the HBM specification changes were a necessary response to current supply tightness and that reports of a 50% HBM price decline were inaccurate. JPMorgan also said the infrastructure investment plan is part of SK Hynix's strategy to secure fab capacity and prepare for additional fabs after reaching its 1nm wafer production target in 2030. The bank said management has stated that a new shareholder return plan will be announced by the end of next month, and it believes the worst period may already be over. JPMorgan expects market sentiment toward the company's stock to improve gradually over the medium term. It said investors should watch for a shareholder return plan update by the end of September, HBM contract price updates by the end of September, and progress on the U.S. subsidiary listing plan within the next month.
STOCKS | GM Reportedly Plans to Sell Indiana Battery Venture Stake to Samsung SDI
According to Sina Finance, people familiar with the matter said General Motors is preparing to sell half of its stake in a planned $3.5 billion electric vehicle battery joint venture in Indiana to partner Samsung SDI. Samsung SDI is expected to acquire the 680-acre site, take over the joint venture, and own the battery manufacturing plant in New Carlisle, Indiana. General Motors had originally hoped the factory would produce enough energy-storage products amid growing demand for electric vehicles. People familiar with the matter said it was not yet clear how Samsung SDI would handle the plant. Samsung SDI did not immediately respond to a request for comment. General Motors' retreat from battery production is the latest step in a long-term strategic shift by the automaker. Although General Motors and other companies have heavily promoted electric vehicles, demand has fallen short of expectations as U.S. consumers remain cautious about plug-in hybrid vehicles and the Trump administration has canceled federal sales incentives that could have boosted demand.
Longsys Reports 2026 H1 Net Profit of 10.577 Billion Yuan, Launches Up to 8 Billion Yuan Buyback
Longsys (301308.SZ) reported first-half 2026 revenue of 24.088 billion yuan and net profit attributable to shareholders of 10.577 billion yuan, up 136.26% and 715.29 times year on year, according to Jiemian News. Second-quarter net profit rose to 6.715 billion yuan from 3.862 billion yuan in the first quarter. The company had previously guided first-half revenue of 9.2 billion yuan to 11 billion yuan. The stock closed up 6.70% at 412.5 yuan on the earnings release day, giving the company a market value above 170 billion yuan, and rose further to 439.33 yuan in early trading on August 11. Longsys also said on August 10 that it plans to buy back shares with 400 million yuan to 800 million yuan of its own or self-raised funds at no more than 735 yuan per share, with the repurchased shares to be used for equity incentives or an employee stock ownership plan. On August 7, Longsys disclosed the results of a private placement, issuing 6.6071 million new shares at 560 yuan each and raising 3.7 billion yuan from 21 institutional and individual investors, including fund managers such as E Fund, Caitong Fund and Nord Fund. The placement price was 45% above the 386.6 yuan closing price on the disclosure day, leaving participants with more than 1.1 billion yuan in paper losses, according to Jiemian News. First-half revenue from the company's enterprise storage business rose 208.80%, while the gross margin on storage products reached 59.08% and operating cash flow was minus 3.151 billion yuan.
Zhaojin International Gold Says Sharp Gold Price Swings Could Affect Operating Results
According to Jin10, Zhaojin International Gold said its shares fell into abnormal trading after closing-price gains deviated by more than 20% over three consecutive trading days on August 6, 2026, August 7, 2026, and August 10, 2026. The company said gold prices are influenced by market supply and demand, the global macroeconomic situation and expectations, and monetary policy, and that the prices of its alloy gold and gold concentrate products are highly affected by gold price fluctuations, so sharp future swings in gold prices could have a significant impact on operating performance.
MarineMax Soars 46% on $1.5 Billion Sale to Blackstone's Safe Harbor Marinas
According to CNBC, MarineMax agreed to be sold to Blackstone Infrastructure's Safe Harbor Marinas for $53 a share in cash, or $1.5 billion, sending the boat and yacht retailer up 46%. The deal is expected to close by the end of 2026. Varex Imaging climbed 48% after Teledyne Technologies agreed to buy the imaging component maker for $18.90 a share in cash, with that transaction expected to close in early 2027. Teledyne rose a fraction. Other midday movers included NetApp, which gained 6% after Morgan Stanley raised the stock to equal weight from underweight, and Intel, which fell nearly 3% after announcing plans to sell $15 billion in common stock. Berkshire Hathaway rose almost 2% after reporting 16% growth in operating earnings for the second quarter, while Monday.com dropped more than 6% after issuing current-quarter revenue guidance of $368 million to $370 million, below the FactSet consensus of $372.8 million.
ASIA MARKET OPEN | Tokyo Shut; Seoul, Taipei, Mainland China Lower; HK Opens Near 26,000
According to RTHK, Asia-Pacific markets opened mixed this morning: Tokyo was shut for a holiday, Seoul opened lower, Hong Kong edged up while Taiwan and mainland China stocks turned soft in early trade. Tokyo markets were closed Tuesday for the Mountain Day holiday. In the prior session, the Nikkei 225 closed at 66,970.22, up 1,363.51 points, or 2.08 percent, reclaiming the 66,000 mark. Seoul equities fell in early trade, with the KOSPI at about 6,217, down 81 points, or 1.3 percent. Hong Kong stocks opened pushing toward the 26,000 level, with the Hang Seng Index at 25,998 in the auction, up 61 points or 0.24 percent, and the Hang Seng Tech Index at 4,932, up 13 points or 0.27 percent. In US trading, Hong Kong ADRs were mixed, with Alibaba up over 2 percent; Hang Seng Indexes also issued a consultation proposing to raise the Hang Seng Tech constituents to 50. Taiwan stocks fell after the open, with the Taiwan Weighted Index slipping to 44,667, down 261 points, or 0.58 percent. In mainland China, A-shares eased in early trade. The Shanghai Composite eased 20 points, or about 0.51 percent, to 3,946; the Shenzhen Component fell 79 points, or 0.55 percent, to 14,237; and the ChiNext eased 4 points, or 0.12 percent, to 3,532. The People's Bank of China did not conduct reverse repo operations this morning, seeing a net drain of 46.5 billion yuan; the yuan mid-rate eased to 6.79 per dollar.
STOCKS | Most Popular Chinese ADRs Rise on August 11, Alibaba Gains 3%
Most popular Chinese ADRs mostly rose on August 11, and the Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index (HXC) closed up 1.65%. According to Sina Finance, among the gainers by market value, Alibaba rose 3.04%, PDD rose 1.35%, NetEase rose 0.90%, ASE Technology rose 0.53%, United Microelectronics rose 0.37%, JD.com rose 1.52%, Trip.com rose 2.12%, KE Holdings rose 3.58%, ZTO Express rose 1.40%, Tencent Music rose 3.88%, Huazhu Hotels rose 1.51%, Nio rose 1.69%, Full Truck Alliance rose 0.73%, and New Oriental rose 2.87%. Among the decliners by market value, TSMC fell 0.37%, Baidu fell 0.19%, Chunghwa Telecom fell 0.42%, Futu Holdings fell 0.29%, Li Auto fell 0.85%, Xpeng fell 1.07%, Silergy fell 9.96%, Vipshop fell 1.72%, and GDS Holdings fell 1.78%.
U.S. Senate to Vote on CLARITY Act Procedural Motion on September 15
The U.S. Senate will hold a cloture procedural vote on a motion related to the CLARITY Act at 2:15 p.m. Eastern Time on September 15. According to Odaily, this will be the first full Senate vote on the bill since the House passed it in July 2025. The bill is H.R. 3633, and the House previously approved it by a vote of 294-134. The vote will decide whether debate on the motion to advance the bill will be limited, and supporters need 60 votes. Republicans currently hold 53 seats in the Senate. If all Republican senators support the motion, they would still need seven additional votes, and any absence or opposition would increase that number. If the procedural vote passes, debate on the motion to proceed would be limited to 30 hours, after which the Senate would vote on the motion itself. Only after that could the chamber formally consider the bill, which would still need another 60-vote cloture motion. If the Senate amends the text, the revised version would return to the House for another vote.
Trivector Research Sees Opportunities in Non-Tech Compounders Beyond AI
According to CNBC, Trivector Research said investors may find diversification opportunities in so-called non-tech compounders as market volatility and crowded artificial intelligence trades persist. Founder Adam Parker said such stocks could play a role in portfolios if AI leadership broadens or volatility rises. The firm screened the 1,000 largest non-technology companies by market value and selected names with top-tier free cash flow margins, strong price momentum, and expanding gross margins. The basket includes companies across health care, consumer staples, industrials and consumer discretionary sectors. Eli Lilly, the largest company by market value on the list, reported second-quarter revenue of $23 billion, up 48% from a year earlier, and raised its full-year outlook after gains in Mounjaro and Zepbound sales. In July, Eli Lilly agreed to acquire AtaiBeckley, and it recently partnered with CVS Health to expand access to GLP-1 medications. Parker-Hannifin also made the cut after posting record fiscal fourth-quarter sales of $5.8 billion, up 9.8%, with organic sales up 8%. The company completed its purchase of Curtis Instruments, announced two pending deals and lifted its annual dividend by 11%, marking 70 consecutive years of increases. Tapestry was included after fiscal third-quarter revenue rose 21% from a year earlier, with Coach sales up 31%, and the company raised its full-year outlook. Tapestry is scheduled to report fiscal 2026 fourth-quarter and year-end results on Thursday.
Drone Strike Destroys Fuel Tank at Libya's Zawiya Refinery
According to Sina Finance, citing Bloomberg, Masoud Suleman, chairman of the National Oil Corporation of Libya, said a drone hit a fuel tank at the Zawiya refinery. The strike triggered a fire, and the tank collapsed because of the heat. Workers are cooling other tanks to prevent them from catching fire. The fire zone has been declared an emergency area. The National Oil Corporation of Libya said in a statement that the collapsed tank contained nearly 4.5 million liters of vehicle fuel. It said the incident poses a threat to oil facilities in the area.
Iraq Sets September Basrah Medium Crude OSP for Asia at $4 Discount to Oman/Dubai Average
According to Jin10, Iraq's State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) said Iraq set the official selling price for September Basrah Medium crude to Asia at a $4 per barrel discount to the Oman/Dubai average.
South Korea Holds Meeting on U.S. Polysilicon Tariffs
According to Yonhap, South Korea's trade ministry met with other ministries and companies on Tuesday to discuss the impact of the latest U.S. tariffs on polysilicon and possible countermeasures. Officials from the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, Samsung Electronics Co., OCI Company Ltd. and other related companies attended the meeting, which was chaired by Deputy Minister for Trade Park Jung-sung. The ministry said the participants reviewed steps to limit the effect of Washington's new trade measure, including its impact on Korean companies' exports and the supply chains of Korean firms operating in the United States. Park said the government will make every effort to provide timely and targeted support for local businesses. The meeting came after U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation last week imposing a 15 percent tariff on polysilicon derivative products, set to take effect at 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 4 (U.S. time), under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.
KOSPI Turns Higher as Foreign Investors Buy Tech Shares
According to Yonhap, South Korean shares turned higher late Tuesday morning as foreign investors bought big-cap tech stocks on bargain hunting, lifting the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) after an earlier decline. The KOSPI rose 33.37 points, or 0.53 percent, to 6,333.03 as of 11:20 a.m., after opening 0.95 percent lower. Foreign investors posted a net purchase of 1.29 trillion won ($911.2 million), offsetting a combined 1.13 trillion won in selling by retail and institutional investors. Samsung Electronics climbed 3.26 percent, while chipmaker SK hynix fell 0.63 percent. The Korean won traded at 1,415.8 won against the U.S. dollar at 11:20 a.m., up 2.5 won from the previous day’s stock market close. In overseas markets, the S&P 500 slipped 0.1 percent, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.1 percent and the Nasdaq Composite lost 0.3 percent after oil prices rose on uncertainty over when the Strait of Hormuz could reopen to shipping.
STOCKS | Hong Kong Innovative Drug Stocks Strengthen, Zai Lab and BeiGene Rise
According to Jin10, Hong Kong innovative drug concept stocks fluctuated higher, with Zai Lab (09688.HK) rising more than 5%, BeiGene (06160.HK) gaining more than 4%, and WuXi AppTec (02359.HK) and Fosun Pharma (02196.HK) also advancing.
STOCKS | Dollar Rises as Yen Gives Back Half of Intervention Gains
The dollar rose alongside oil prices, while an agreement between Iran and Oman has still not been reached. According to Sina Finance, the yen gave back half of the gains sparked by recent intervention and ranked last among the Group of Ten currencies on Monday. The Bloomberg dollar spot index rose 0.2%, and Treasury yields also increased. Traders are watching the U.S. July inflation report due on Wednesday, while the market currently sees about a 50% chance of a Federal Reserve rate hike in September. Citigroup strategists Daniel Tobon, Brian Levine and Osamu Takashima wrote that, although they have become more neutral on the dollar forecast, risks still lean toward dollar strength before the data release because markets are pricing in the risk of a more hawkish Fed. They said they expect that pattern to continue until the U.S. CPI release. The dollar briefly rose 0.9% against the yen to 159.19. Jane Foley, head of foreign exchange strategy at Rabobank, said the market has started to lose confidence that the dollar-yen downtrend can continue. Maximillian Lin, a strategist at Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, said the pair is still being driven by external factors such as higher oil prices. He added that the underlying problem of low Japanese government bond yields has not been resolved, and said he still expects dollar-yen to move back above 160 in August. A summary of the Bank of Japan's July meeting minutes said upside inflation risks are rising, with one member noting that the pace of rate hikes could accelerate. The Australian dollar fell 0.1% to 0.7058, while the Reserve Bank of Australia is set to keep rates unchanged for a second straight meeting on Tuesday. The euro slipped 0.1% to 1.1543, and the pound rose 0.1% to 1.3508.
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