Brent crude futures settled at $90.49 per barrel, up $2.39 or 2.71%.

South Korea will boost government spending to a record level to fund AI investment and divert semiconductor-related tax windfalls into a new contingency fund, the finance ministry said. The government proposed 2027 fiscal spending of 820.9 trillion won, a 12.8% increase from this year’s budget — the largest rise on record, exceeding 2009’s 10.6% and 2020’s 9.1%. Central to the plan is a new Futures Response Fund: 162.3 trillion won of tax revenue above the long-term trend, primarily driven by the semiconductor sector, will be allocated to the fund rather than fully flowing into annual spending.

China August RatingDog manufacturing PMI 51.5, expected 51.0, prior 50.9.