S&P 500 — US Large Cap Index
FTSE 100 — UK Blue Chips
Euro Stoxx 50 — Eurozone Leaders
DAX 40 — German Equities
CAC 40 — French Market Index
Nikkei 225 — Japan Benchmark
Hang Seng — Hong Kong Index
Shanghai Composite — China Mainland
ASX 200 — Australian Market
TSX Composite — Canada Index
Nifty 50 — India Large Cap
STI Index — Singapore Market
KOSPI — South Korea Index
Bovespa — Brazil Equities
JSE Top 40 — South Africa Index
IPC Index — Mexico Market
The People’s Bank of China kept its key lending rates at record lows for a 15th straight month in August 2026, in line with market expectations. The move reflected caution over the impact of the conflict in the Middle East, while Q2 GDP growth eased to its lowest level since Q4 2022, although exports remained strongly supported by AI-related demand. The one-year loan prime rate (LPR), the benchmark for most corporate and household borrowing, was kept at 3.0%, while the five-year LPR, a reference rate for mortgages, remained at 3.5%. Meanwhile, industrial production and retail sales growth also slowed in July. At the same time, new yuan loans extended fell in July, marking the sharpest contraction on record. Housing prices continued to decline in July, reflecting persistent weakness in the property sector. Last week, the central bank said it would maintain an appropriately loose monetary stance and roll out practical, effective measures as needed.
