Canada's wildfires could continue into fall, says government
Canada is facing its second-worst wildfire season on record, with 7.8 million hectares already burned, and the fires could persist for weeks, accordin...
Global investors remained wary on Friday after a closely watched phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping failed to deliver concrete progress on trade. Chinese markets reflected the cautious sentiment, with modest declines across key indices.
The Shanghai Composite Index ended flat, the CSI300 edged down 0.1%, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index dropped 0.4%, signaling that markets had anticipated little from the rare leader-to-leader exchange.
Despite the high-profile nature of the call, analysts noted that it offered few specifics, particularly on tariff reductions or technology access — two of the most contentious points in the current trade standoff. The 90-day tariff rollback deal, agreed in May, remains fragile amid ongoing disputes over critical minerals, chip export controls, and Taiwan.
“There’s nothing concrete that’s positive,” said Guo Jianwen of Haiyi Capital. “So little impact on stocks — only some trading opportunities.”
Gary Ng of Natixis echoed the sentiment, saying the call gave “no certainty” on the scope or substance of any future trade agreement. “It may only be a partial one given the wide range of issues,” he noted.
William Xin of Pu Jiang Investment Management pointed out that the only clear relief was that “things are not getting worse.” He added that a Trump visit to China could be a potential turning point for market sentiment.
Others viewed the call’s diplomatic tone as a temporary calming signal. Charles Wang of Shenzhen Dragon Pacific Capital Management noted Xi's warning to Trump against provocative moves on Taiwan, interpreting it as a sign China is not imminently planning to escalate tensions over the island.
Still, skepticism prevailed. “Trump’s fickleness has made such talks less and less meaningful to the market,” said Wang Zhuo of Zhuozhu Investment.
On a more optimistic note, Gao Le of Galaxy Securities in Beijing said the recent appreciation of the yuan reflects confidence in China’s economic resilience. “Market sentiment will continue to heal,” he said, pointing to U.S.-listed Chinese stocks rising even as broader U.S. markets dipped.
Charu Chanana of Saxo in Singapore summarized the mood: “Markets are relieved the Trump-Xi call didn’t escalate tensions further — but that’s not quite a reason to cheer either.” With core issues unresolved, she warned, “new flashpoints can emerge at any time.”
For now, investors appear to be shifting focus to upcoming economic indicators, particularly the U.S. jobs report due later Friday, while keeping a close eye on any further signals from Beijing or Washington.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck 56 kilometres east of Gorgan in northern Iran early Sunday morning, according to preliminary seismic data.
'Superman' continued to dominate the summer box office, pulling in another $57.25 million in its second weekend, as theatres welcome a wave of blockbuster competition following a challenging few years for the film industry.
Honduras has brought back mask mandates as COVID-19 cases and a new variant surge nationwide.
Hamas has agreed to a 60-day ceasefire proposal with Israel that would see half of the hostages in Gaza freed in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, an Egyptian official said on Monday.
On Monday, Russian drones deliberately struck a SOCAR oil depot in Ukraine's southern Odesa region for the second time in two weeks, according to Ukrainian officials.
Afghanistan's growing flour industry now supplies more than half the country's annual demand, with domestic mills producing 3.5 million tons out of the 6 million-ton national requirement.
U.S. envoy Tom Barrack has arrived in Beirut for his fourth visit since June, seeking to reinforce a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, days after the Cabinet backed a plan to disarm Hezbollah and other non-state groups.
Since January, more than 1.7 million Afghan citizens have returned from Iran and Pakistan, the United Nations said on Friday, warning of mounting humanitarian pressures.
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