国际金融市场早知道：8月20日

Market Developments - The London Metal Exchange (LME) has officially launched its delivery warehouse in Hong Kong, which is expected to promote the settlement of commodities in Renminbi and enhance the currency's influence in international metal trading [1] - The U.S. Department of Commerce has announced the inclusion of 407 categories of steel and aluminum products in a list subject to a 50% tariff, covering items such as wind turbines, mobile cranes, railway vehicles, furniture, compressors, and pumps [1] - The U.S. and Japan are set to discuss the implementation of $550 billion in investments in key sectors including semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, steel, and shipbuilding, with plans to establish a review mechanism to assess national interest impacts [1] Economic Indicators - Standard & Poor's has maintained the U.S. sovereign credit rating at "AA+/A-1+" with a stable outlook, reflecting expectations of continued resilience in the U.S. economy [2] - In July, new housing starts in the U.S. increased by 5.2% month-over-month, reaching an annualized rate of 1.428 million units, marking a five-month high and surpassing expectations of 1.29 million units [2] - South Korea's automobile exports in July rose by 8.8% year-over-year, with exports to the EU increasing by 32.7%, while exports to the U.S. fell by 4.6%, although the decline was less severe than the 16% drop in June [2] Inflation Data - Canada's Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 1.7% year-over-year in July, with a month-over-month increase of 0.3%; the core CPI increased by 2.6% year-over-year, remaining flat at 0.1% month-over-month [3]