The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will eliminate the 7-day waiting period for related research reports during the IPO process and simplify information sharing requirements for issuers and companies.

On Wednesday, softer USD and falling oil prices pushed spot gold up for a third session, rising 2.29% intraday to $4,170/oz, its highest since July 7. Investors await US jobs data for clues on the rate outlook. OANDA senior market analyst Kelvin Wong said: "The link between gold and oil remains, as oil has a large impact on inflationary pressure in the global economy. If we can see a clear roadmap for further de-escalation (in the Middle East), gold prices may continue to rise." Traders price a 59% chance of a Fed hike at the Sept. 15-16 meeting, down from 67% a day earlier.

Key News 1. Federal Reserve's Paulson: Unable to provide interest rate guidance at this time, remaining open to further action. Policy adjustments may be necessary if there is no progress on inflation. 2. The US government is seeking public comment in the Federal Register on expanding the scope of metal tariffs. The US proposes tariffs on products such as welding machines and cranes. 3. US Treasury Secretary Bessant stated that the US may reach an agreement with Iran tomorrow to open the Strait of Hormuz. Individual Stock News 1. Caterpillar (CAT.N): Second-quarter sales reached $20.54 billion, net profit was $3.59 billion, operating profit increased by 50% year-over-year to $4.3 billion, and the adjusted operating profit margin reached 21.9%. 2. Nvidia (NVDA.O): The Open Secure Artificial Intelligence Alliance (OSAA) is developing new guidelines to strengthen cybersecurity for agent-based artificial intelligence. 3. Palantir (PLTR.N) reported second-quarter revenue of $1.94 billion, a 94.0% year-over-year increase. The company previously projected 2026 sales of $8.16 billion and full-year adjusted operating profit of $4.89 billion to $4.91 billion. 4. Toyota Motor (TM.N) reported first-quarter sales of ¥13.5 trillion for fiscal year 2027, a 10.4% year-over-year increase; net profit attributable to shareholders was ¥1.48 trillion. The company also announced a ¥1 trillion (US$6.3 billion) share buyback program and raised its profit forecast. 5. ON Semiconductor (ON.O) reported second-quarter revenue of $1.6 billion, a 9.2% year-over-year increase. The company projects third-quarter revenue to be between $1.65 billion and $1.75 billion. 6. Snap (SNAP.N) reported second-quarter revenue of $1.6 billion, a significant 19% year-over-year increase; net loss narrowed sharply to $164 million from $262.6 million in the same period last year. Adjusted profit reached $250 million, significantly exceeding market expectations of $192 million. 7. Pfizer (PFE.N) reported second-quarter revenue of $15.03 billion and adjusted earnings per share of $0.77; the company projects full-year revenue of $60.5 billion to $62.5 billion, higher than its previous forecast of $59.5 billion to $62.5 billion.