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Irans Revolutionary Guard: Four "illegal" oil tankers attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz were intercepted in a joint missile and drone operation.On July 18, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a statement saying that two oil tankers exploded and caught fire while passing through a mine-laying area in the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz. The statement emphasized that due to recent US military operations, the Strait of Hormuz is "completely closed," and oil and gas transport cannot proceed through the strait until the US ceases its military operations against Iran. Ships should avoid entering the mine-laying area. The statement did not specify the nationalities of the two oil tankers, the number of casualties, or the extent of damage.According to Iranian state television, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard stated that two oil tankers exploded and caught fire after passing through a mine-torn shipping lane south of the Strait of Hormuz.On July 18, Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that its forces attacked US facilities in Bahrain, destroying a US unmanned surface vessel storage facility and striking an artificial intelligence center used to assist US forces in target acquisition. Iran stated that this action was a response to previous US attacks on Iranian infrastructure, including bridges, and warned that if the US continues to attack Iranian targets, Iran will expand its strikes to target US industrial, technological, and artificial intelligence-related assets in the Middle East.July 18th - According to US media reports on the 17th, the US government has notified Israel that it will send dozens more refueling aircraft to Israel, potentially escalating military operations against Iran. Axios, citing Israeli officials, reported that the US hopes to send dozens more refueling aircraft to Israel in the coming days, restoring the number to the level at the beginning of the US-Israel conflict with Iran in late February. The report stated that the US government has requested Israel to accept the additional refueling aircraft, and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu will make the final decision. The US currently has approximately 30 refueling aircraft parked at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv, Israel, and a similar number at Ramon Airport in southern Israel. The report suggests that US President Trump appears intent on escalating the conflict to create sufficient disruption to force Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz and accept US demands on the nuclear issue. According to US and Israeli officials, Trump may order an escalation of the situation in the coming days.

Asian Shares Fall As Investors Analyze ECB Decisions

Charlie Brooks

Jun 10, 2022 11:14

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Asia-Pacific equities were predominantly lower on Friday morning. Ahead of U.S. inflation statistics, investors are analyzing the European Central Bank's signals for potential interest rate hikes.


At 10:49 PM ET (2:49 AM GMT), the Nikkei 225 was down 1.41 percent, and the KOSPI was down 1.08 percent.


In Australia, the ASX 200 index declined 0.99%.


The Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong fell 0.89 percent.


As a result of the Chinese government's response to a Bloomberg article, the sub-index for Hong Kong-listed IT giants opened 2.9 percent lower. Alibaba (NYSE:BABA) Group Holding Ltd.'s U.S.-listed shares plummeted after the China Securities Regulatory Commission dismissed a Bloomberg report that it was exploring a listing resurrection for the fintech company.


The Shanghai Composite rose 0.10 percent, but the Shenzhen Component rose 0.02 percent.


China's manufacturing factory-gate inflation slowed to its worst pace in 14 months in May, according to previously released data. In May, the producer pricing index (PPI) increased by 6.4% annually, compared to an increase of 8% in April. The reading was the lowest since March 2021. The cooling could be attributable to decreased demand for steel, aluminum, and other industrial commodities as a result of COVID-19-related production disruptions.


Meanwhile, the consumer price index (CPI) increased 2.1% annually.


The European Central Bank (ECB) announced on Thursday that it will prepare a quarter-point increase in interest rates in July and a larger increase in the fall if inflation remains high. Inflation in the eurozone has already surpassed 8 percent.


Short-term U.S. Treasury rates are near all-time highs for 2022 due to a selloff in the euro-area bond market in response to ECB rate rise indications.


The ECB also announced that net asset purchases will halt on July 1, 2022.


Now, investors have moved their attention to U.S. inflation data, due later in the day, for additional hints on the course of interest rate hikes by the U.S. Federal Reserve.


Bloomberg quoted Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW) & Co.'s chief financial strategist Liz Ann Sonders as saying, "We've reestablished the inverse relationship between bond rates and stock prices."


"There is a little more discussion, or whispering, about the CPI being a touch above forecasts. Add to that the ECB's more hawkish posture, and you get another bad day."