Saxo chief investment strategist Charu Chanana said that after Samsung's nearly 150% YTD rise, investors now demand confident guidance, durable pricing and clear evidence that AI-driven demand is still accelerating. The key market risk is whether today's memory-chip supply bottleneck becomes tomorrow's capacity glut. Investors will focus on Samsung's full Q2 results due later this month; if guidance implies slowing price gains, rising capex, cautious customers or weaker visibility, they may begi

President Trump said talks with Iran were close to an agreement but warned that if negotiations fail the U.S. would "finish the job." He asserted U.S. forces could destroy Iran's electricity grid, power plants and bridges "in less than an afternoon," but said he prefers a deal to avoid harming Iran's 91 million population. Trump reiterated Iran must not acquire nuclear weapons and said the U.S. would secure enriched nuclear material, while denying an objective of regime change. He also claimed U.S. forces have destroyed all 159 Iranian vessels and all Iranian military aircraft and radar systems. On oil, Trump said global crude is trading below pre-conflict levels and that U.S. forces covertly escorted tankers through the Strait of Hormuz during a blockade to maintain supply and prevent prices reaching $300–350 per barrel.

Hong Kong stocks opened lower: the Hang Seng Index fell 0.2% and the Hang Seng Tech Index fell 0.37%. Kuaishou (01024.HK) opened nearly 6% lower; Tencent Holdings (00700.HK) opened about 1.55% higher after trimming its Kuaishou stake and raising roughly HKD10 billion.