July 31 — Jiang Yi, director of the Policy Research Office and spokesman for the China State Planner, said at a press briefing that currently eight of every 10 humanoid and quadruped robots sold worldwide are from China.

Pakistan has secured safe passage for liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments under an agreement with Iran.

Tokyo core CPI rose 1.9% YoY in July versus market est. 1.8%, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications data showed; core-core CPI (ex fresh food and energy) rose 2.0% and overall CPI rose 2.0%. The acceleration — driven by a narrowing decline in electricity and gas costs and steady rises in processed food prices, despite a larger gasoline price drop after government measures — strengthens the case for the Bank of Japan to consider another rate hike in coming months, even as markets largely expect a hold today (31st). Takeshi Minami, chief economist at the Norinchukin Research Institute, said ongoing Middle East tensions could keep energy-related prices higher and push up food and other costs, meaning inflation may remain above 2% from this autumn.