Qatar's foreign ministry spokesperson said mediators are awaiting a bilateral agreement between Oman and Iran on the Strait of Hormuz before resuming broader U.S.-Iran negotiations.

Investors now price a 30bps Bank of England rate hike in 2026, up 5bps from a week earlier, LSEG data show. The ongoing US‑Iran conflict is raising concern about prolonged energy‑supply shocks and upward pressure on global inflation. Tickmill Group analyst Patrick Munnelly said oil‑price gains will push up petrol and energy costs and overall inflation, and increase the risk of a second round of rate hikes.

China Unicom (00762.HK) reported 1H2026 operating revenue of 201.4 bln yuan, up 0.6% YoY; service revenue was 178.0 bln yuan, down 0.2% YoY.