USD/JPY fell below 157, slipping 0.72% intraday.

China stocks weakened at midday: Shanghai Composite -0.89%, Shenzhen Composite -1.78%, ChiNext Index -2.77%. Market turnover exceeded CNY900 billion and more than 3,900 stocks declined. Electric-motor sector led gains, with Huayang Intelligent hitting a 20% limit and multiple peers at limit-up. Construction/engineering machinery stocks bucked the trend, several names on limit-up. Film exhibition names fell, Bona Film among the biggest decliners. Education stocks slipped, with at least one education name hitting the daily down limit. Short-form game, CPO and media sectors were lower; reducers and industrial machine-tool sectors posted modest gains.

International Monetary Fund forecasts the economies of the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan will contract 1.3% in 2026, then rebound to 6.6% growth in 2027.