Groq was valued at $3.5 billion in a funding round after reaching a deal with NVIDIA.

South African regulators plan to require central clearing for OTC derivatives, aiming to complete new rules within two years and for final rules to take effect before 2028, the South African Reserve Bank said. The reform, intended to boost transparency and reduce risk, hinges on central counterparties obtaining licences and becoming operational. The Prudential Authority and the Financial Sector Conduct Authority closed a consultation on June 5 on eligibility criteria for central clearing; they propose ZAR‑denominated interest rate swaps and forward rate agreements as the first mandatory‑clearing products, with other contracts phased in based on industry feedback and market Data Talk. SARB data show over R150 trillion of rand‑linked OTC derivatives notional traded domestically and offshore (about US$9.3tn).

Foreign ministers of Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia issued a joint statement on the 16th condemning Israel’s recent rejection of a Gaza peace plan. They said the plan had been accepted by Palestinian factions and represented a key product of mediators’ efforts, and that Israel’s public refusal amounts to a direct repudiation that undermines collective efforts for a just, lasting peace. The ministers said Israel should bear direct and full responsibility for any consequences, including local deterioration and obstruction of the Gaza peace process, and urged the United States to remain actively engaged to ensure Israeli compliance and prevent further impediments to implementation.