International ocean freight has risen sharply: the container shipping index (Europe) front-month futures are up more than 50% since late April. Major carriers Maersk and CMA CGM have issued multiple rate notices and several routes report acute space tightness. Market participants point to Middle East geopolitical disruptions raising shipping costs, greater supply-chain segmentation and de-risking driving restocking, and concentrated overseas pre-shipment ahead of the US/EU H2 consumption peak as

Russia's foreign ministry confirmed Ukrainian drone attacks on vessels in the Azov Sea.

The State Council General Office issued guidance to strengthen supervision, prevent risks and promote high‑quality development of private investment funds. It directs expanding funding channels for private equity and venture capital, cultivating patient capital and deepening its integration with technological innovation, and further smoothing diversified exit channels. The guidance instructs priority support in registration and filing for PE and VC funds that invest early, invest small, invest long and target hard‑tech, and for M&A funds consolidating key core technologies and strategic emerging industries. It requires better implementation of laws and policies for differentiated regulation of VC funds and the strengthening of leading VC institutions. The State Council’s securities regulator and the National Development and Reform Commission will further optimise venture‑fund information sharing.