South Korean chip stocks plunge as Chinese rival CXMT surges on market debut

South Korean stocks plunged more than 11% on Wednesday as the tech rout that has hammered the market in recent weeks deepened, with chipmakers SK hynix and Samsung collapsing.
The Chinese chip manufacturer CXMT has soared to the top after its stock market debut, while several of the world's largest chip stocks have fallen. Investors see signs that competition from China can pressure the established giants and change the balance of power in the industry.
Barclays reported a first-half profit of £6.1 billion, beating forecasts. The bank's first-half profits rose by a better than expected 17 per cent as it reaped bumper equities trading revenues from volatile markets, although its shares dropped on Tuesday in a sign of high investor expectations for British banks.
The Bank of England is unlikely to raise its key interest rate this year or next, despite a sharp pickup in inflation over the second half of 2026, according to the National Institute of Economic and Social Research.
UK retail inflation fell in July due to summer discounts. Average prices at British retailers rose by an annual 0.9%, the smallest increase since December 2025, as the men's soccer world cup triggered supermarket discounts on alcohol and snacks.
Mondelēz International reported its Q2 2026 results, and Grifols reported a profit of 227 million euros for the first half of the year, a 28.7% increase. Grifols' income fell by 2.8% to 3.574 billion euros.
Turkiye has taken a historic step in its energy alliance with Iraq, which could see Ankara receiving 1 million barrels per day of Iraqi oil after Turkish Petroleum's stake in the BP-run Kirkuk oilfield.
The daily euribor rate is at 2.943%, with the reference index for mortgages rising to 2.83% in July, according to a report.
The cost of filling a gas tank has risen to around 90 euros, while charging an electric car can cost as little as 5 euros. The market for electric cars is growing, with sales doubling compared to the same period last year.
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