Huafeng Chemical released its 1H 2026 preliminary results, reporting operating revenue of 14.167 bln yuan, up 16.73% YoY, and net profit attributable to shareholders of 1.983 bln yuan, up 101.64% YoY.

Mimura, Japan's top foreign-exchange official, said Japan's contacts on foreign exchange are not limited to the United States.

After a weak July, South Korea's KOSPI surged as much as 17% intraday on July 31, the largest single-day gain on record. Foreign investors moved aggressively — net-buying about KRW1.6 tln within just over two minutes of the open and finishing the day with a record KRW7.18 tln net inflow; domestic retail investors recorded a record KRW8.2 tln net sell. Some market participants view the move as a trend reversal, but analysts warn the market’s sensitivity to foreign flows and its volatility make a sustained rally uncertain. Analyst Lee Chae-won said it is unclear whether the rise is a technical rebound or the start of an uptrend and pointed to the semiconductor cycle as decisive, advising investors to watch whether semiconductor supply bottlenecks and high operating margins persist beyond 2028 when positioning over the next six months. An asset manager added that retail investors locked in at current highs may sell near prior resistance around 8,000–9,000 points, which could cap gains.