The ASX 200 rose 82 points, or 0.90%, to a record close of 9,227.80 as miners, gold producers and selected technology names outweighed losses in banks and energy. Only six sectors advanced, leaving the index high dependent on a concentrated group of winners.
The S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.5% to 9,019.30 as banks, healthcare and gold stocks advanced on hopes for progress around the Strait of Hormuz, while energy shares fell with oil prices.
The Dutch bank earned €1.95 billion in the second quarter, raised 2026 income guidance above €24.5 billion and set a 2027 target above €26 billion as customer activity strengthened interest and fee revenue.
Net profit attributable to shareholders reached €1.64 billion as fixed-income trading and advisory revenue beat forecasts, offsetting an 8% increase in expenses and the cost of leaving Indian retail banking.
The S&P 500 gained 0.7% and the Nasdaq 1% as Amazon jumped 15.3%, while Brent at $87.93, a 4.71% Treasury yield and extreme Korean chip volatility kept inflation and AI valuation risks in view.
Gains of CHF39.9 billion on foreign-currency investments more than absorbed a CHF14.1 billion loss on gold, reversing both the year-earlier deficit and the small loss recorded in the first quarter.
SpaceX and Tesla lost more than $1.2 trillion of combined market value in July, turning investor attention from ambitious growth platforms to margins, cash generation and the cost of artificial-intelligence infrastructure.
Europe’s largest asset manager attracted €24.4 billion in second-quarter net inflows and lifted adjusted profit 29%, while the consolidation of ICG and SBI Funds Management’s listing expanded both scale and capital options.
U.S. futures rebounded on divergent Microsoft and Meta results, while South Korea’s Kospi extended a two-day AI-driven selloff and Treasury yields reflected a divided Federal Reserve.
First-half pretax profit rose 17% to £6.1 billion and equities revenue jumped 45%, yet the shares fell nearly 5% as Barclays forecast higher restructuring costs and remained behind Wall Street trading growth.
U.S. equities ended a divided session as Brent retreated below $100, technology shares weakened and investors weighed a tariff-driven inflation shock against the prospect of higher interest rates.
HKEX will permit confidential filings for every listing candidate and halve the market-capitalization threshold for weighted-voting-rights companies, targeting more innovative and overseas issuers.
