Group 1 - The Bank of England is expected to lower its key interest rate from 4.25% to 4% this Thursday, with further cuts anticipated by the end of the year, despite rising inflation concerns [2] - UK inflation surged to a peak of 11.1% post-Russia-Ukraine conflict, significantly higher than the Eurozone or the US, primarily due to reliance on natural gas for heating and electricity [2] - Inflation rates in the UK are projected to decline significantly, reaching a low of 1.7% by September 2024, but are expected to rebound faster than in the US or Eurozone [2] Group 2 - Inflation expectations in the UK have risen, with long-term inflation indicators nearing their highest levels since late 2022, reflecting concerns about future price increases and wage demands [5] - Despite a significant drop in overall consumer inflation in 2023, key components used to measure long-term domestic price pressures have not decreased similarly [8] - Service sector price inflation is heavily influenced by rising labor costs, and food and beverage prices are also experiencing a rapid increase, impacting public perception of inflation, especially among poorer demographics [9][12] Group 3 - Private sector annual wage growth is slightly below 5%, down from over 8% two years ago, but still above pre-pandemic levels, indicating persistent inflationary pressures [13] - Wage growth is expected to slow to around 3% over the next 18 months, which could exert downward pressure on inflation [13][15] - The July Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) indicates strong pricing pressures, with significant cost increases reported by service and manufacturing sectors, suggesting potential upward pressure on consumer prices [16][19]

Group 1 - The manufacturing PMI stands at 50.8%, indicating a slight recovery, with the new orders index rising to 51.2%, suggesting ongoing demand [3] - There is a significant disparity between large enterprises (PMI at 52.1%) and small enterprises (PMI at 49.3%), highlighting the lack of policy support for smaller firms [3] - The non-manufacturing PMI is at 54.5%, driven by strong performance in tourism and film sectors, while real estate sales remain weak, indicating a divergence in market sentiment [3] Group 2 - The "production and business expectations index" in the manufacturing PMI has surged to 57.3%, the highest this year, reflecting strong corporate confidence despite delayed policy implementation [4] - The technology sector shows promising growth potential, with significant investments from major companies like Google and Microsoft, and a high pre-announcement growth rate exceeding 60% for mid-year reports [4] - High dividend stocks, such as Industrial and Commercial Bank of China with a 5.7% dividend yield, are attracting investment in a volatile market, emphasizing the importance of cash flow [5]

Economic Indicators - July manufacturing PMI recorded at 49.3%, down from 49.7% in June, indicating a significant contraction and falling below market expectations of 49.6%[2] - Non-manufacturing PMI decreased to 50.1% from 50.5%, while the composite PMI output index fell to 50.2%[2] Demand and Supply Dynamics - New orders fell below the expansion threshold, with new export orders declining by 0.6 percentage points, marking a four-month low[5] - The production index showed a notable decline but remained in the expansion zone, indicating ongoing production activity despite weakening demand[3] Price and Cost Pressures - Major raw material purchase prices surged, leading to a significant increase in factory prices, although the increase in factory prices lagged behind raw material costs, creating a record price gap for the year[7] - The supply chain faced pressures as the supplier delivery time index slightly increased, indicating stable logistics efficiency amidst rising costs[3] Inventory and Procurement Trends - Finished goods inventory saw a substantial decrease, reflecting a shift from passive to active inventory reduction strategies by companies due to high costs and weak demand[8] - Procurement volumes dropped significantly, entering a contraction phase as companies adjusted their purchasing strategies in response to declining orders[5] Sector Performance - Equipment manufacturing PMI fell to 50.3%, while consumer goods PMI dropped to 49.5%, indicating a contraction in consumer demand[4] - Large enterprises experienced a decline in PMI, while medium-sized enterprises showed a slight recovery, highlighting a growing disparity among different business sizes[4] Future Outlook - The July PMI data reversed the optimistic expectations from June, indicating a retreat in demand, inventory cycles, and industry dynamics[10] - The bond market is expected to reflect these economic realities, with the ten-year government bond yield showing an upward trend despite the contraction in manufacturing PMI[12]

Group 1: PMI Data Overview - The manufacturing PMI for July is 49.3%, a decrease from the previous value of 49.7%[1] - The production index is at 50.5%, down 0.5 percentage points from 51.0%[1] - The new orders index is at 49.4%, down from 50.2%[1] - The new export orders index is at 47.1%, down from 47.7%[1] - The employment index is at 48.0%, slightly up from 47.9%[1] Group 2: Price and Inventory Insights - The main raw material purchase price index is at 51.5%, up 3.1 percentage points, while the factory price index is at 48.3%, up 2.1 percentage points[2] - The inventory index has decreased, with the procurement index at 49.5%, down from 50.2%[2] - The raw material inventory index is at 47.7%, down from 48.0%[1] Group 3: Demand and Expectations - The BCI sales forecast index is at 51.08%, down from 54.63%[4] - The manufacturing expectations index has slightly increased to 52.6%, up from 52.0%[5] - The construction activity expectation index is at 51.6%, down from 53.9%[5] Group 4: Risks and Challenges - Weak consumer prices and increasing trade frictions are highlighted as risks[6]

Group 1: PMI Data Overview - In July 2025, the manufacturing PMI was 49.3%, a decrease of 0.4 percentage points from the previous month[2] - The construction PMI was 50.6%, down 2.2 percentage points from June[2] - The services PMI slightly decreased to 50.0%, a drop of 0.1 percentage points[2] Group 2: Price Index Changes - The major raw material purchase price index rose to 51.5%, an increase of 3.1 percentage points from last month[2] - The factory price index increased to 48.3%, up by 2.1 percentage points[2] - The non-manufacturing input price index entered the expansion zone, indicating a potential price recovery[2] Group 3: Demand and Supply Indicators - The manufacturing new orders index fell to 49.4%, down 0.8 percentage points from June[2] - The non-manufacturing new orders index decreased to 45.7%, a decline of 0.9 percentage points[2] - The manufacturing production index was 50.5%, down 0.5 percentage points, while the non-manufacturing business activity index was 50.1%, a decrease of 0.4 percentage points[2] Group 4: Employment and Expectations - The manufacturing employment index was 48.0%, a slight increase of 0.1 percentage points[2] - The service industry employment index remained stable at 46.4%[2] - The manufacturing business activity expectation index rose to 52.6%, an increase of 0.6 percentage points[2]

Core Viewpoint - The manufacturing PMI data for July indicates a slight decline, reflecting ongoing challenges in demand and business expectations, with price transmission facing resistance despite some improvements in raw material costs [2][20]. Group 1: Price Transmission Challenges - The purchasing price index for major raw materials rose above the critical point for the first time since March, but terminal prices remain weak, as evidenced by the PMI output price index continuing to stay below the expansion threshold [10][21]. - The BCI consumer price forecast index decreased to 40.14% from 43.84%, while the BCI intermediate goods price forecast index fell to 31.14% from 36.55%, indicating a lack of significant improvement in terminal prices [10][21]. Group 2: Demand Weakness - The manufacturing PMI new orders index fell to 49.4% in July from 50.2%, suggesting a decline in demand compared to previous months [4][20]. - The BCI enterprise sales forecast index also dropped to 51.08% from 54.63%, reflecting a weakening outlook for sales [4][14]. Group 3: Weak Business Expectations - Business activity expectations across manufacturing, construction, and services remain low, with the manufacturing expectation index slightly rising to 52.6% from 52.0%, but still below previous highs [5][17]. - The BIC enterprise recruitment forecast index decreased to 44.5% from 49.1%, indicating reduced hiring intentions among businesses [5][17]. Group 4: Manufacturing PMI Data - The July manufacturing PMI registered at 49.3%, down from 49.7%, with specific indices showing declines in production, new orders, and export orders [2][20]. - The PMI production index fell to 50.5% from 51.0%, while the new export orders index decreased to 47.1% from 47.7% [20][22].

Manufacturing Sector Insights - July manufacturing PMI decreased to 49.3%, indicating a contraction in the sector[2] - Production index fell by 0.5 percentage points to 50.5%, while new orders index dropped by 0.8 percentage points to 49.4%, returning to the contraction zone[2] - New export orders declined by 0.6 percentage points to 47.1%, influenced by weakened export demand amid global manufacturing slowdowns[2] Price and Inventory Trends - Raw material purchase prices and factory gate prices showed a significant slowdown in contraction due to rising international crude oil prices and domestic price adjustments[2] - Overall inventory levels for raw materials and finished goods continued to decrease, indicating a sustained destocking trend[2] Enterprise Size Analysis - Large enterprises' manufacturing PMI fell to 50.3%, while small enterprises' PMI dropped to 46.4%, both down by 0.9 percentage points from the previous month[2] - Medium-sized enterprises saw a slight recovery, with PMI increasing by 0.9 percentage points to 49.5%[2] Non-Manufacturing Sector Performance - Non-manufacturing business activity index decreased by 0.4 percentage points to 50.1%, remaining above the expansion threshold[3] - The construction sector's index fell by 2.2 percentage points to 50.6%, impacted by extreme weather conditions affecting construction progress[3] - Service sector index slightly declined by 0.1 percentage points to 50.0%, indicating stability at the threshold[3] Overall Economic Outlook - The composite PMI output index decreased by 0.5 percentage points to 50.2%, reflecting a slowdown in economic expansion[3] - Future outlook suggests continued pressure on manufacturing due to seasonal factors and extreme weather conditions, with potential for further declines in August[3]

Group 1 - China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng will hold trade talks with the US from July 27 to 30 in Sweden [1] - The National Bureau of Statistics will release the Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) report on July 31, with June's manufacturing PMI at 49.7%, an increase of 0.2 percentage points from the previous month [1] - The new round of retail fuel price adjustments will take effect on July 29, with domestic gasoline and diesel prices down by 225 yuan and 215 yuan per ton compared to the end of last year, respectively [1] Group 2 - A total of 54 companies will have their restricted shares unlocked next week, amounting to 3.385 billion shares with a total market value of 102.679 billion yuan based on the latest closing price [2] - Three new stocks will be issued next week, including Tianfu Long on the Shanghai main board, Youli Intelligent on the Beijing Stock Exchange, and Guangdong Jianke on the ChiNext [2] - Major US tech companies, including Microsoft and Meta, will report their latest earnings on July 30, while Apple and Amazon will do so on July 31 [2]

Group 1 - The core viewpoint indicates that gold prices are experiencing a wide range of fluctuations, with current trading around the support levels established previously [1][4] - COMEX gold prices have declined to $3371.3 per ounce, reflecting a decrease of 0.77%, while domestic SHFE gold prices are reported at 778.08 yuan per gram, down 0.78% [3] - The latest PMI data shows a significant slowdown in the manufacturing sector, with the manufacturing PMI at 49.5, below expectations, while the services PMI is at 55.2, indicating a reliance on the service sector for economic growth [3] Group 2 - The weekly chart suggests that gold prices are expected to remain within the range of $3000 to $3500 for the second half of the year, with potential upward movement anticipated next year [4] - Short-term trading strategies should focus on the support and resistance levels, with key support identified at $3350 or $3335 and resistance at $3382 or $3393 [5]

Market Overview - The market opened mixed, with the Dow dropping -316 points (-0.70%) after a +500-point gain the previous day, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq saw modest increases of +0.07% and +0.18% respectively [1] - The small-cap Russell 2000 index fell -1.3% [1] Services & Manufacturing PMI - The S&P Services PMI for July was reported at 55.2, exceeding expectations of 53.2 and the previous month's 52.9, marking the highest level in 2025 [2] - In contrast, the S&P Manufacturing PMI fell to 49.5, below the anticipated 52.7 and the previous month's 52.9, indicating a decline in new orders for the first time this year [3] Earnings Results - Intel reported Q2 earnings with a loss of -$0.10 per share, missing the expected +$0.01, while revenues were $12.9 billion, surpassing the consensus of $11.87 billion [4] - Intel's guidance for Q3 includes revenue expectations of $12.6-13.6 billion but forecasts earnings of $0.00 per share, down from the expected 2 cents, and announced a further -15% workforce reduction [5] - Deckers Outdoor exceeded earnings expectations with 93 cents per share against estimates of 68 cents, and revenues of $965 million, a +17% increase year-over-year [6] - Despite a +20% surge in shares post-announcement, Deckers' stock is still down approximately -40% year-to-date [7] Upcoming Economic Indicators - Durable Goods Orders for June are anticipated to show a negative swing, with estimates at -11%, following erratic behavior influenced by tariff policies [8] - Q2 earnings reports are expected from Phillips 66 and AutoNation, with major companies like Microsoft, Apple, and Amazon set to report next week [9][10]