Customs: China imported 108.085 mln tonnes of iron ore and concentrates in July, down from 112.689 mln tonnes in June.

SK Hynix has expanded purchases of South Korea's domestic corporate bonds; credit analysts and market participants estimate this year’s purchases at about 10–40 tln won (~$7–28 bln), with the upper range including commercial paper. A recent job posting for a role to manage, strategize and hedge company funds — including fixed-income investments across government bonds, corporate bonds and short-term debt — signals stepped-up market activity. Cash and cash equivalents stood at 88 tln won at end-Q2, up roughly 62% QoQ; despite higher capex, investable cash continues to accumulate, providing an incremental source of demand in a market usually dominated by institutional investors.

US initial jobless claims for the week to Aug. 1 due in 10 minutes.