Eurozone banks tighten lending standards further as geopolitical risks weigh on credit conditions

Full report here The ECB's Bank Lending Survey showed that euro area banks continued to tighten lending standards in the second quarter, reflecting heightened concerns over the economic outlook, geopolitical tensions and energy-related risks. Banks reported a moderate tightening of credit standards for corporate loans (net 7%), as well as for housing loans (9%) and consumer credit (12%). The main drivers were weaker risk tolerance and higher perceived credit risks. Banks expect lending standards to tighten further across all loan categories in the third quarter. Banks also tightened overall lending terms and conditions, primarily through higher interest rates, while reporting an increase in the share of rejected loan applications across all borrower groups, particularly for consumer credit. On the demand side, corporate loan demand edged higher (net 3%), supported by financing needs for inventories, working capital, debt refinancing and investment by large firms. The increase was stronger than banks had anticipated. By contrast, demand for housing loans fell sharply (net -15%), weighed down by weaker consumer confidence, higher borrowing costs and a softer housing market outlook. Demand for consumer credit also declined slightly (net -2%). Bank lending tightening is a drag on euro area's growth outlook amid a hawkish ECB and geopolitical uncertainty. If the situation in the Middle East doesn't improve quickly, growth risks might soon replace inflation worries and weigh on Eurozone assets. This article was written by Giuseppe Dellamotta at investinglive.com.

InvestingLive News·Jul 21, 17:14 KST

Trouble already for Burnham in his first policy announcement?

I guess that is how quickly things can unravel in Westminster. From earlier: UK prime minister Burnham announces VAT cut from energy bills to bring down cost of living As mentioned in the announcement earlier, the policy cost of cutting VAT from energy bills would be around £850 million. And it was reported that it will be funded through the now cancelled digital ID scheme, which was estimated to cost approximately £1.8 billion over the coming years. However, UK lawmaker Darren Jones is now out to dispute that notion in saying that the digital ID scheme was in fact unfunded in the first place. The infighting looks to already begin after just one day. Good stuff. "Good news that VAT will be cut on electricity bills. It’s a simple way for families to save a few quid, and to mechanically help to keep inflation that little bit lower. But the Digital ID program was unfunded. The government will have to set out how it will pay for its new policies at the budget." So, where is the money going to be coming from? This will be a big question for Burnham so early on in his tenure, as he has to underline where the money will come from in trying to lower energy bills as mentioned. If proven true, it also breaks the promises and manifesto that Burnham was selling en route to taking his seat on Downing Street. The gilts market is still reacting calmly for now but fiscal worries look to be back on the menu in the UK. This article was written by Justin Low at investinglive.com.

InvestingLive News·Jul 21, 16:12 KST

Iran ties Strait of Hormuz reopening to security terms as traffic collapses below 10 ships a day

Verified transits through the Strait of Hormuz have fallen below 10 vessels per day since July 18, with zero LNG tankers since July 16 and only one VLCC crossing, as renewed US-Iran strikes and a US naval blockade effectively re-close the chokepoint that handles roughly a fifth of global oil flows. A sustained standstill keeps a supply-risk premium in Brent and WTI, squeezes Qatari LNG exports into an already tight gas market, and pressures risk assets through the energy-inflation channel that complicates rate-cut pricing. Watch for any US-Iran de-escalation signal or restored ceasefire terms; until shiptracking data shows transits normalizing, energy prices retain an asymmetric upside skew.

InvestingLive News·Jul 21, 15:45 KST

What are the main events for today?

EUROPEAN SESSION In the European session, the main highlight was the UK employment report. The data was mostly in line with expectations although a bit on the soft side in terms of wage growth, which is a welcome news for the BoE. Overall, the data didn't change anything for monetary policy expectations, so the market reaction was limited. Looking ahead, we will get the German ZEW economic sentiment index which is expected at 15.3 vs 10.5 prior. The data won't change anything for the ECB which is expected to hold rates steady at the upcoming meeting. Therefore, the market reaction will likely be muted. AMERICAN SESSION In the American session, we just have the weekly US ADP employment change. This was a market moving report when it was first released back in October 2025 but the market forgot about it quickly after it became clear the US labour market stabilised. The focus will remain on US-Iran headlines as Trump is said to be weighing between a ceasefire and a full-scale war. It goes without saying that a ceasefire would be positive for risk sentiment, while a full-scale war would have a very negative impact on the markets. This article was written by Giuseppe Dellamotta at investinglive.com.

InvestingLive News·Jul 21, 15:32 KST

UK May ILO unemployment rate 4.9% vs 5.0% expected

May ILO unemployment rate 4.9% vs 5.0% expected Prior 4.9% May employment change 147k vs 80k expected Prior 100k May average weekly earnings +4.3% vs +4.5% 3m/y expected Prior +4.4% May average weekly earnings (ex bonus) +3.4% vs +3.4% 3m/y expected Prior +3.4% June payrolls change -4k Prior 2k; revised to 3k More to come.. This article was written by Justin Low at investinglive.com.

InvestingLive News·Jul 21, 15:02 KST

UK prime minister Burnham announces VAT cut from energy bills to bring down cost of living

Burnham a man with a plan? Or is this just a move to try and bolster popularity early on in his tenure? In his first notable policy action in charge, he has scrapped VAT on energy bills starting from 1 October. The move will cost roughly £850 million and be funded through the now cancelled digital ID scheme. For some context, the previously proposed digital ID scheme was estimated to cost approximately £1.8 billion over the coming years. "I said I wanted to give people breathing space, and that's what I'm announcing on my second day as prime minister. We're taking immediate action to cut taxes on energy bills, put more money in people's pockets and bring back hope." At the moment, it seems that this will be funded for just one year and it will be a cut for every household - regardless of wealth. The measure is estimated to reduce average annual household bills by roughly £45 ahead of the winter Ofgem price cap adjustment. In terms of the potential impact on consumer price inflation (CPI), the early estimates are saying that this will take 0.1% off CPI. Well, if this was an unfunded policy announcement, it will be interesting to see how the gilts market reacts later. But by scrapping the digital ID scheme, that at least takes away some of the fiscal risks involved. This article was written by Justin Low at investinglive.com.

InvestingLive News·Jul 21, 14:26 KST

Markets remain tense on the week as US-Iran tensions stay heightened

Rising oil prices and Treasury yields are still two key factors that should continue to drive markets in the week ahead. And both are very much driven themselves by US-Iran developments at the moment. Tensions remain high as US president Trump claims that Iran will pay "many times over" for the killing of American soldiers. That as both sides continue to exchange military strikes in the meantime too. However, there was a bit of hope perhaps late yesterday with Axios stating that Trump is mulling over a renewed ceasefire deal with Iran or engaging in a full scale war next. After some pushing and pulling yesterday, oil prices are settling well above $80 with WTI crude seen around $82.30 currently. Meanwhile, 10-year Treasury yields are resting at 4.59% as we look towards the session ahead. The push up in oil prices and yields overnight, more so the latter, helped to underpin the dollar while also weighing on equities. So, that is keeping broader markets in a more pensive mood despite the light bounce in US futures to start the day. Tech shares are leading the rebound but remember, this comes after the heavy selling on Friday and also as the early gains yesterday were wiped out by the closing bell. As such, it is still early in the day to be drawing any conclusions from the moves in Asia trading - especially for US stocks, which will rely heavily on the mood only when Wall Street enters the fray. For now, European traders are set to be greeted with a more pensive and tentative mood. Headline risks will be key once again with eyes on US-Iran developments. I fear that even with renewed hopes of another ceasefire deal, it will just be a case of déjà vu more than anything else. Iran will be more than happy to keep playing for time and kicking the can down the road. So, any continuation of a ceasefire or the previous memorandum of understanding should not be expected to last. And therein lies the danger for markets in buying into the hope and optimism of any rumoured headline or speculation. It's been 145 days already since the conflict began. And the situation now is no better than what it was on 1 March. That tells you all you need to know. This article was written by Justin Low at investinglive.com.

InvestingLive News·Jul 21, 14:15 KST

BlackRock's Korea ETF Draws Record $2.8B Weekly Inflow as Foreign Investors Pile In

BlackRock's iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (EWY) took in a record $2.8 billion last week, more than double the previous weekly high of $1.2 billion set in February, with single-day inflows of $1.1 billion on the 15th and $800 million on the 14th. The inflow equals roughly 12% of the fund's $22.4 billion total assets, signaling aggressive foreign repositioning into Korean equities that supports KOSPI upside and adds downward pressure on USD/KRW through repatriation-linked won demand. Watch whether daily EWY flows stay positive and whether foreign net buying on the KRX confirms the trend, as a reversal in flows would quickly unwind the momentum.

토큰포스트·Jul 21, 14:44 KST

Bitcoin ETFs post five-day inflow streak, longest since May

US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $227 million in inflows as BTC climbed above $65,000, extending their longest winning streak since early May.

Cointelegraph·Jul 21, 16:28 KST

Base’s 1:1-backed tokenized equities launch ‘imminent,’ Pollak says

The Coinbase-backed Ethereum layer-2 is preparing to expand its financial offerings as it pivots away from its earlier social-first strategy.

Cointelegraph·Jul 21, 16:06 KST

JPMorgan among banks to help finance Japan’s $550 billion U.S. investment plan: sources

Japanese banks have been reluctant to participate, as their funding base is in yen, and obtaining U.S. dollars for ​big long-term infrastructure projects can be costly for them.

Japan Times·Jul 21, 17:11 KST

Cabinet approves government economic blueprint with BOJ independence indicated

A line in a draft of the blueprint that had suggested a weakening of central bank autonomy has been rewritten in the final version.

Japan Times·Jul 21, 16:59 KST

Hut 8 Secures $9.8 Billion Texas AI Lease as Bitcoin Miners Pivot to Compute

Hut 8 has signed a second 15-year lease for 352 megawatts of AI capacity at its Beacon Point campus in Texas. The deal doubles the tenant’s commitment and highlights a wider shift by bitcoin miners toward long-term data center contracts.

Bitcoin.com News·Jul 21, 15:30 KST

Taiwan Court Jails Cointhink Fraud Leader for 22 Years After USDT Scheme Hit 1,539 People

A Taiwan court sentenced the leader of a major crypto fraud ring, a man surnamed Shih, to 22 years in prison. In total, 14 people were indicted.

Bitcoin.com News·Jul 21, 14:30 KST

Boeing and Airbus prepare for next narrow-body battle – but airlines aren’t pushing for new jets yet

Boeing and Airbus are preparing their next narrow-body jets, but airlines and investors remain focused on production, deliveries and current aircraft.

CNBC Markets·Jul 21, 17:21 KST

India's largest asset management firm makes a muted market debut after a $1 billion IPO

SBI Funds Management, whose billion-dollar IPO garnered bids worth $31 billion, made a subdued debut with shares listing at a 7% premium.

CNBC Markets·Jul 21, 15:51 KST

Samsung Electronics shares rise as robotics move highlights push into physical AI

Samsung Electronics shares rose as the company set up a robotics division in a push into physical AI.

CNBC Markets·Jul 21, 15:30 KST

Iran War update: Five things to know after the resumption of hostilities

It's been 10 days since U.S. President Donald Trump declared the ceasefire with Iran "over." Here's what you need to know about the conflict.

CNBC Markets·Jul 21, 14:13 KST

XRP jumps 4% as traders watch 'triangle breakout' toward $1.35

XRP pushed higher over 24 hours and tested short-term resistance, but the larger chart still needs a clean break above the $1.24-$1.28 supply zone to confirm a stronger reversal.

CoinDesk·Jul 21, 16:21 KST

Live markets: Bitcoin ETFs post a fifth straight day of inflows in a first since April

The run has pulled in roughly $727 million, the most sustained stretch of buying since the record outflows of June.

CoinDesk·Jul 21, 15:42 KST

UK Parliament begins inquiry into banking chokepoint for crypto businesses

The UK’s Crypto and Digital Assets All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) is focused on banks that refused crypto firms accounts or introduced restrictions on crypto transactions.

CoinDesk·Jul 21, 15:15 KST

Bitcoin hits a two-week high near $65,500 as the chip trade turns back into a tailwind

Asian semiconductor shares rebounded hard, a five-day ETF inflow streak passed $600 million, and oil pulled back on Middle East diplomacy.

CoinDesk·Jul 21, 14:34 KST

London Stock Exchange plans overnight venue to extend trading hours: FT

London Stock Exchange plans an overnight venue as traditional exchanges extend trading hours amid competition from 24/7 crypto platforms.

The Block·Jul 21, 16:57 KST

UK parliamentary group launches probe into crypto sector’s banking challenges

This comes weeks after the publication of the UK’s new crypto regulatory framework, set to take effect in October 2027.

The Block·Jul 21, 16:26 KST

Jamie Dimon says he wouldn’t buy Treasurys. ‘I don’t understand the upside.’

Jamie Dimon — long considered a potential candidate to be treasury secretary, and the person in charge of one of the nation’s primary dealers of Treasury securities — says he wouldn’t buy American debt.

MarketWatch·Jul 21, 16:51 KST

Reserve Transparency Built Through Continuous Operation: Matrixdock Marks Two Years of Independent Verification

If tokenized reserve assets are going to serve as collateral and support lending, treasury management, and settlement across on-chain finance, their backing must remain continuously verifiable. Today, Matrixdock has completed its fourth consecutive semi-annual independent reserve audit with Bureau Veritas. For the first time, the audit extends beyond Matrixdock’s tokenized gold product (XAUm) to include The post Reserve Transparency Built Through Continuous Operation: Matrixdock Marks Two Years of Independent Verification appeared first on BeInCrypto.

BeInCrypto·Jul 21, 17:00 KST

Top 3 Altcoins to Watch For Fourth Week of July 2026

PUMP breaks out, Pi Network bounces off its record low, and Injective climbs its Fibonacci ladder this week. The post Top 3 Altcoins to Watch For Fourth Week of July 2026 appeared first on BeInCrypto.

BeInCrypto·Jul 21, 16:34 KST

Tokenized Crypto Stocks Fell to 21% Share as Chip Names Climbed

Tokenized stocks are no longer mostly a crypto trade. The crypto sector once dominated, but they now hold a shrinking share as artificial intelligence (AI) and chip stocks grow fastest. The shift shows tokenization maturing beyond its origins. The market has now broadened to include semiconductor and memory makers tied to the AI boom. Tokenized The post Tokenized Crypto Stocks Fell to 21% Share as Chip Names Climbed appeared first on BeInCrypto.

BeInCrypto·Jul 21, 15:50 KST

Half of US Voters Reject Government Taking Stakes in American Companies

US voters remain deeply skeptical of the federal government owning stakes in American companies, a new poll found. Their doubt comes as the government has made 30 deals worth $26.7 billion since 2025, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.

BeInCrypto·Jul 21, 14:20 KST

FX option expiries for 21 July 10am New York cut

There are just a couple of expiries to take note of on the day, as highlighted in bold below. That being for EUR/USD at the 1.1400 and 1.1450 levels. That fits with the more rangebound play in the currency pair for the past few weeks, with the expiries once again set to define the boundaries for price action in the session ahead. The only notable technical points are the 100-hour and 200-hour moving averages, and they are resting at the region of 1.1428-37 currently. So, EUR/USD traders are also very much still doing battle around this area to try and wrestle for near-term control. As such, the expiries above will offer the potential to act as bookends to price action on any extensions; all else being equal. The dollar remains in a good spot on the week amid continued US-Iran tensions and inflation worries, which are reflected in the continued push up in Treasury yields. So, that remains the bigger and more important driver of trading sentiment. In that lieu, headline risks do have the potential to influence price movements in the session ahead. So, keep an eye out for US-Iran news as that will be the make or break in sustaining the dollar momentum. Besides that, there isn't much else on the board to warrant much focus with the bigger expiries for USD/JPY and AUD/USD being some distance away. For more information on how to use this data, you may refer to this post here. This article was written by Justin Low at investinglive.com.

InvestingLive Forex Orders·Jul 21, 15:30 KST