US-China Trade Talks Into Second Day, Marines deployed to LA

Market Trends & Trade Talks - Trade talks between the U S and China are ongoing, with the aim of easing tensions over technology and rare earth elements shipments [8] - Optimism surrounds Chinese shares, with Hong Kong and China markets up approximately 20% from April lows, fueled by a tech revival [5] - Markets are pricing in optimism about trade deals, but the quality, type, and size of the deals remain uncertain [31] Monetary Policy & Economic Data - The Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor's comments on inflation are perceived as dovish by some, influencing dollar-yen trading [6] - The market is closely watching the 30-year bond auction to gauge demand and its potential impact on policy decisions [3, 32] - The Bank of England is forecast to cut fewer than two additional times this year, leading markets to readjust their views [25] Company News & Developments - Apple unveiled a software redesign but investors showed lukewarm response due to a lack of AI developments, with the stock ending the day down 1 2% [2, 27, 89] - Barclays is preparing to cut over 200 investment banking jobs to invest in priority areas like rates, equity derivatives, and product trading [40] - TSMC's year-to-date sales increased by 42 6% in Taiwanese dollars, with monthly sales up around 40% [46] Geopolitical Risks - The Trump administration sent hundreds of marines to Los Angeles in response to protests, escalating tensions with California's governor [1, 14] - Russia launched nearly 500 drones in a sweeping attack on Kyiv and Odessa, underscoring continued conflict and stalled peace talks [48, 49] - Iran's inventory of close to weaponry-grade uranium is at record levels, growing by 50% in the last three months, raising concerns from the nuclear watchdog [54] Alternative Investments - Bitcoin is gaining, nearing record highs of around 111,000 dollars per coin, driven by regulatory changes and risk-on sentiment [3, 85, 86]