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[Inpharm Pharmaceuticals: 2026 First Half Loss of RMB 90.81 Million, Compared to RMB 129 Million in the Same Period Last Year] Inpharm Pharmaceuticals (07630.HK) announced that its revenue for the first half of 2026 was RMB 105 million, a year-on-year increase of 316.8%; the loss for the period was RMB 90.81 million, compared to a loss of RMB 129 million in the same period of 2025; the adjusted net loss was RMB 20.867 million, compared to a loss of RMB 55.841 million in the same period of 2025. The company entered into an exclusive collaboration with Pharmanovia, granting it exclusive rights to manufacture, develop and commercialize senaparib in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, Australia and New Zealand, with upfront and milestone payments totaling up to €424 million.

Intel (INTC.O) shares rose 1.7% in pre-market trading after reports that SK Hynix was seeking a partnership to produce chips.

Xiyin-W (00625.HK) shares fell more than 16% in grey market trading.

According to Nikkei, Japan's total budget request for fiscal year 2027 is expected to reach a record 143 trillion yen.

Driven by rising international oil prices, U.S. energy stocks rose in pre-market trading. Halliburton (HAL.N) rose 2%, Valero Energy (VLO.N) rose 2.4%, Occidental Petroleum (OXY.N) rose 1.6%, Chevron (CVX.N) rose 1.6%, ExxonMobil (XOM.N) rose 1.4%, and Marathon Petroleum (MRO.N) rose 1.2%.

The Hang Seng Index (HSI) closed down 17.8 points, or 0.07%, at 25,566.99 on Monday, August 31. The Hang Seng Tech Index (HSTI) closed up 14.72 points, or 0.32%, at 4,619.87 on Monday, August 31. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI) closed up 22.79 points, or 0.27%, at 8,513.18 on Monday, August 31. The Hang Seng Red Chip Index (HSC) closed down 88.82 points, or 2.09%, at 4,170.36 on Monday, August 31.

The dollar continued its decline against the South Korean won, falling 0.6% to 1368.94, its lowest level since July 2025.

The Central Bank of Türkiye launched a 1-week gold-for-lira seller swap auction using traditional methods, with a volume of 6 tons.

Spain's current account balance in June was €2.41 billion, compared to €1.84 billion in the previous month.

According to Jonathan Martin, head of Politico's political department and a senior political columnist, as in every modern presidential election, the key to Senate seats lies in the American Midwest. If Democrats can overturn Republican seats in Ohio and Iowa while retaining Michigan, they will almost certainly gain a net gain of four seats, thus regaining control of the Senate in Trump's final two years in office. Furthermore, Republicans are increasingly worried that they may be "swallowed up" by a raging prairie fire. North Dakota Republican Senator Kevin Cramer stated that Republicans are in big trouble in agricultural areas, and the situation is not optimistic. Tariffs, expensive diesel and fertilizer, coupled with the current imports of beef, have created a crisis for Republicans in agricultural states. Of the 50 states, Iowa is more likely to overturn the election; this "Eagle Eye" state is a bellwether for this year's Senate race. Kansas has not elected a Democratic senator since 1932. However, Republicans are uneasy that voter discontent could spread beyond the Midwestern agricultural regions, affecting a wider area. While incumbent Republican lawmakers in Kansas and Nebraska are facing the toughest campaigns of their careers, Southern Republicans are also seeing unusually unfavorable poll numbers, while Maine and Alaska, located at opposite ends of the state, are leaning to the left due to their fuel- and trade-dependent economies. If Democrats can hold onto Michigan, the Senate seats that once daunted them will be less daunting. To secure four seats, they would need to win North Carolina, Ohio, Iowa, and then one more from states with distinct political cultures like Maine, Alaska, and Texas. If the situation worsens, Nebraska, Kansas, and even Mississippi could potentially turn blue (i.e., switch to the Democrats). The culprits are obvious: the high cost of living, Trump's extreme unpopularity among political centrists, and the huge enthusiasm gap between Democrats and Republicans. Republican officials say it's worrying that these sentiments are increasingly solidifying in the minds of voters; the harsh political environment created by soaring gasoline prices following last month's breakdown of the ceasefire with Iran is nearing irreversibility. Without a significant shift in voter sentiment, the election could repeat the scenario of the Democrats taking full control of Congress in 2006.

Indian oil company executives say they hope to make an investment decision on a second sustainable aviation fuel plant within five to six months.

Indian Oil Corporation executives: Indian Oil Corporation will put its first sustainable aviation fuel plant into operation at the Panipat refinery within two months.

According to a Reuters survey, Saudi Arabia is likely to raise its official selling price for crude oil sold to Asia in October as the Middle East spot crude oil market rises due to tight supply and strong demand.

Market news: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Sergei Pesshiziyan will meet in Bishkek at 2 p.m. Indian time.

Spanish Prime Minister Sánchez: Research by the European External Action Service indicates that disinformation about the Ceuta crisis was spread by Russia and Israel.

The S&P 500 recovered from the summer sell-off about a month ago and has resumed its record-breaking run. The Nasdaq 100, however, is still "calculating" its losses from that summer rally. While the gap it hasn't closed yet isn't large, the market information it reveals is significant. As of last week's close, this benchmark tech index was still 4% below its record high reached on June 2nd, making it the last major U.S. stock index to not yet reach its record high. The Nasdaq 100's lagging performance is largely due to a 10-month-long market divergence. This divergence has reshaped the market leaders and laggards, changing who ultimately determines the strength of the market. ① On October 29th last year, the Nasdaq 100 reached a peak and then entered a correction, beginning its decline. ② By mid-December, the S&P 500 had resumed its record-breaking run, while the Nasdaq 100 missed its record high at the end of January this year. ③ The subsequent spring sell-off masked the divergence between the two indices, with both falling and bottoming out simultaneously, and recovering within a day of each other. ④ The June plunge in chip stocks became the watershed moment when the two indices began to diverge significantly. At that time, the S&P 500 was relatively stable, while the Nasdaq 100 was clearly under pressure. ⑤ Discussions and analyses of the divergence between the two indices may have started then, but this state had actually lasted for 10 months.

Rosatom, the Russian state-owned nuclear energy company, stated that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has been operating on diesel generators for longer than estimated by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Rosatom, the Russian state nuclear energy company: We will supply diesel fuel regardless.

Rosatom: We hope to arrange a local ceasefire this week so that we can carry out repairs on the Ferospravnaya-1 transmission line.

Total Energy shares rose 1.9% as renewed conflict between the U.S. and Iran pushed up oil prices.