UK CBI retail sales balance for July was -26, the strongest reading since January 2026.

MAS says it stands ready to curb excessive Singapore dollar volatility.

China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology sent its Equipment Industry Division to inspect GAC Aion and XPeng’s Zhaoqing unit for vehicle product-safety assurance and production consistency. Market rumors link the sweep to quality issues with Zhongchuang Xinhang’s 177Ah LFP cell used in Aion S-series vehicles, which have been reported to exhibit swelling, leakage and sudden power loss; Zhongchuang Xinhang supplies both Aion and XPeng. An Aion insider said they had not been told of a definitive link and that the visit appears to be a broader industry inspection; a XPeng insider said the checks may extend beyond Guangzhou and cover most large automakers.