The Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces stated: "The Iranian armed forces stand shoulder to shoulder with the people, appearing on the battlefield in a strong and stable posture. If the enemy lands on the Iranian coast, they will step into a h

Domestic News: 1. The People's Bank of China (PBOC) increased its gold reserves for the 20th consecutive month. 2. The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) will conduct random checks on fair competition. 3. China's foreign exchange reserves reached US$3,416.262 billion in June. 4. The State Council approved in principle the "15th Five-Year Plan for Building a Tourism Powerhouse." 5. The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) launched an investigation into An for fabricating and disseminating false information about Zhonggong Education. 6. PBOC Governor Pan Gongsheng stated that the proportion of China's foreign exchange reserves allocated to Hong Kong will continue to increase. 7. The PBOC and two other departments welcomed the China Foreign Exchange Trading Center and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange's joint establishment of a Hong Kong electronic fixed-income and currency trading platform. International News: 1. French far-right leader Marine Le Pen announced her candidacy for the 2027 presidential election. 2. Two explosions occurred near the Syrian hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron was staying. 3. The US trade deficit widened to its largest in over a year in May, with imports generally increasing and exports declining. 4. Japan's top foreign exchange official: Has been in close contact with South Korean foreign exchange authorities regarding exchange rate fluctuations. 5. Sources: Saudi Arabia plans to expand its Red Sea oil pipeline, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, increasing daily capacity by 2 million barrels. 6. Affected by the escalating situation in the Middle East, spot gold once fell below $4,100, silver fell 3%, WTI and Brent crude oil rose 5%, and US Treasury yields rose nearly 8 basis points. 7. Trump: Is working on lifting sanctions against Turkey and will make a decision on the F-35 purchase; resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict will be "much faster than people think." 8. Middle East Situation— ① The US revoked a general license authorizing the sale of Iranian oil, allowing related closing transactions to continue until midnight Eastern Time on July 17. This move is reportedly in response to Iran's recent firing on three merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz. ② Iranian Foreign Ministry: Some merchant ships sailed without coordination and turned off or tampered with AIS signals, hindering safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The memorandum was urged to be avoided by regional countries and shipping companies. ③ Several locations in southern Iran were attacked again by the US military. The US military stated that it launched a series of strikes against Iran in response to attacks on merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz. US officials stated that this was a "punitive action, not a reciprocal response," and the operation "will not end anytime soon." ④ Foreign media: The Lebanese president is expected to visit the White House on July 21. ⑤ Netanyahu: Erdogan is not a "friend or foe," but a complete enemy. ⑥ Lebanese diplomatic sources stated that Lebanon refused to hold the sixth round of Lebanon-Israel negotiations in Rome, insisting that negotiations should continue in Washington.

The Korean Development Institute (KDI) said Korea’s economy remains on a recovery track as a chip boom offsets broader manufacturing weakness. Strong AI-related demand drove exports, with June shipments rising to $102.25bn, up 70.9% YoY and a record high — the first month above $100bn. Semiconductor export value nearly tripled to $44.82bn, and monthly semiconductor exports topped $40bn for the first time; KDI noted semiconductor volume growth has slowed but price rises have kept export values strong. Manufacturing output edged down as semiconductor momentum cooled and other sectors stayed weak. KDI warned higher oil prices and a weaker won could sustain upward price pressure, increasing the risk of further rate hikes and weighing on consumer recovery.