Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi advanced, while Qatar hit a two-year low and Dubai edged down. Brent at $94.60 supported energy-linked markets, but diplomacy, sanctions and Hormuz traffic kept risk elevated.
The Kospi rose 0.82% to a three-week high in an intraday snapshot, extending a five-session rebound to 9.4%, while foreign buying, a firmer won and lower bond yields supported sentiment.
The potential transaction could rank among the largest software buyouts ever, but no agreement, price or financing package has been announced and the discussions may still end without a deal.
Most Gulf benchmarks closed lower as diplomatic expectations weakened, although Oman and selected shipping stocks resisted the regional decline and exposed sharp differences beneath the risk-off move.
Mexican peso and Brazilian real futures and options generated a combined record average daily volume of $2.94 billion in the first half of 2026, while open interest also reached new highs.
Nigeria’s pledge to list its state oil company, South Africa’s ZAR 3 billion hydrogen-fund close and Namibia’s insistence on processing critical minerals at home show governments trying to set the terms of capital. None removes execution risk: Nigeria has no IPO timetable, the hydrogen vehicle still targets a fourfold expansion and Namibia must convert policy conditions into funded plants.
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.
