As of July 22, two successive heatwaves in France produced over 7,000 excess deaths, the French public health authority said. It recorded at least 5,764 excess deaths from June 17–July 2 and 1,243 from July 3–22. During the second wave, people aged 75 and older accounted for three quarters of deaths. The record-hot July — the hottest month since 1900 — strained industrial and public-health services, sparked severe wildfires and disrupted transport, food and energy production. A government minist

China's Economic Daily said recent warnings from Goldman, HSBC, BofA and JP Morgan that overlapping risks could trigger a new round of food inflation have spurred speculative flows: A-share agriculture/planting stocks jumped, several listed seed firms hit daily limit-ups and grain ETFs rallied. The paper said financial capital's speculation can amplify supply‑demand imbalances and manufacture shortages through expectation management. It urged maintaining ample food supply as the primary defense, noting a global trend toward stronger domestic grain self‑sufficiency. China continues its 'store grain in land and in technology' strategy, reporting consecutive large harvests, abundant inventories, basic grain self‑sufficiency and absolute staple‑food security.

ChiNext Index fell 5%, Shenzhen Composite Index fell nearly 4%, Shanghai Composite fell 1.98% and STAR 50 Index fell 6%. MLCC, CPO and memory-chip sectors led the declines.