China's manufacturing sector remained in contraction territory for the third month in a row in June. Unisound AI and Medtide completed their listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
Japan's retail sales advanced for the 38th consecutive month in June, and the Tokyo area's consumer price inflation stayed above the Bank of Japan's target rate for the eighth month in a row.
China's stock market indexes advanced more than 3% after a week of trading amid hopes of cooling tensions in the Middle East and progress on trade talks with the U.S.
Japan's stock market indexes advanced to four-month highs, and the yen held near recent highs as global investors continued to seek non-U.S.-dollar-denominated assets.
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority intervened in the currency market to defend the U.S. dollar peg as importers drive higher demand for foreign exchange.
Japan's stock market indexes, yen, and bond yield held firm, and the Bank of Japan's latest Summary of Opinions reiterated the central bank's cautious approach in normalizing interest rate policy.
China and Hong Kong market indexes rebounded after crude oil prices dropped as much as 3% following the rising possibility of a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Iran.
Middle East tensions escalated rapidly after the U.S. joined Israel's war on Iran and carried out multiple strikes targeting nuclear infrastructure. Japan's indexes declined amid the worry of a wider war in the Middle East and a disruption in global energy supply.
Crude oil prices soared as much as 7% after the U.S. joined Israel's war on Iran. China indexes wavered around the flatline amid worries of global crude oil supply disruptions.
Japan's indexes trimmed weekly gains after Friday's trading. The acceleration in core inflation in May supported the case for the Bank of Japan to continue its rate hike campaign.
