Iranian parliament speaker Ghalibaf told visiting Hamas delegates that Iran and the resistance front remain on a strategic course opposing US regional influence, a stance he said is now recognized even by pro‑US governments. He said Iran would only take follow‑up action on reopening the Strait of Hormuz after the US first fulfills its obligations. Hamas said Palestinian resistance to the Zionist regime will continue.

ECB Governing Council member and Bundesbank president Joachim Nagel said the ECB will raise rates next week but remains cautious about subsequent hikes. In a Wednesday interview he said markets currently assign a better-than-95% probability to a rate increase at the September meeting and that market pricing is broadly accurate. He declined to provide guidance beyond the September meeting, citing volatile oil and gas prices, turbulent financial markets and high uncertainty. Inflation remains far above the medium-term target; June projections show inflation would only return to 2% in the medium term if rates are higher.

EUR/USD slid to a two-week low, down 0.2% at 1.1566, as options traders increased hedges against further euro weakness. Rising oil and gas prices and higher US Treasury yields are amplifying pressure; options positioning indicators are at their lowest in nearly a month and have been dollar‑bullish for nine consecutive trading days, the longest continuous euro‑bearish run since 2017. Renewed US‑Iran tensions have lifted energy prices and worsened Europe’s terms of trade; ING global markets head Chris Turner expects the euro to weaken further to around $1.15 by month‑end amid a firmer Fed stance.