Real-time News

Sources say Iran's current discussions are limited to matters concerning the Strait of Hormuz with Oman.

August 19 - According to Iran's Fars News Agency, a source close to the Iranian negotiating team refuted the White House's claim: "Regarding the US claim that negotiations with Iran have been canceled, the fact is that there are no direct negotiations between Iran and the United States at all."

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde: Europe cannot miss the artificial intelligence revolution.

August 19th - According to the latest robotics industry research from TrendForce, the deployment of humanoid robots in China is beginning to enter diverse scenarios such as automotive, 3C, aviation, logistics, and energy, thus posing a challenge to product commercialization. The 2026 World Robot Conference (WRC) on August 19th will feature a "Procurement Day" for the first time, focusing on procurement negotiations and supply chain connections, reflecting a shift in industry development focus from technology demonstrations to practical needs. TrendForce predicts that the Chinese humanoid robot market will reach RMB 15 billion in 2026, and with the expansion of mass production and the increase in application scenarios, the market size can maintain a growth rate of at least 60% in 2027.

According to Reuters: A company executive said that AiMoga, Chery's robotics subsidiary, is considering an independent listing.

On August 19th, KPMG Chief Economist Yael Selfin stated in a report that although the UK's inflation rate rose to 2.9% in July from 2.6%, marking the beginning of a gradual increase in inflation, this is unlikely to prompt the Bank of England to raise interest rates. She stated that domestic price pressures in the UK are easing, and the inflation level is broadly in line with the Bank of England's latest forecasts. Selfin also noted that, encouragingly, core inflation continued to slow in July, with the services sector inflation rate falling to 3.4% from 3.6%. Given the less weak labor market compared to 2022, rising energy costs are unlikely to trigger a significant second-round effect in the coming months. She stated, "We expect interest rates to remain unchanged for the remainder of the year."

Futures News, August 19th: Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) Energy and Chemical Warehouse Receipts and Changes: 1. Pulp futures warehouse receipts: 373,905 tons, down 515 tons from the previous trading day; 2. Pulp futures mill warehouse receipts: 20,000 tons, unchanged from the previous trading day; 3. Offset paper futures warehouse receipts: 2,758 tons, unchanged from the previous trading day; 4. Offset paper futures mill warehouse receipts: 6,520 tons, unchanged from the previous trading day; 5. Fuel oil futures warehouse receipts: 20,420 tons. 6. Petroleum asphalt futures warehouse receipts: 14,230 tons, down 10 tons from the previous trading day; 7. Petroleum asphalt futures factory warehouse receipts: 26,500 tons, unchanged from the previous trading day; 8. Medium-sulfur crude oil futures warehouse receipts: 2,961,000 barrels, unchanged from the previous trading day; 9. Low-sulfur fuel oil futures warehouse receipts: 330 tons, unchanged from the previous trading day; 10. Low-sulfur fuel oil futures factory warehouse receipts: 0 tons, unchanged from the previous trading day.

On Wednesday, August 19, the German DAX 30 index opened down 3.12 points, or 0.01%, at 26,148.57; the UK FTSE 100 index opened down 0.76 points, or 0.01%, at 10,727.28; the French CAC 40 index opened up 9.78 points, or 0.11%, at 8,519.14; the Euro Stoxx 50 index opened up 6.08 points, or 0.09%, at 6,474.25; the Spanish IBEX 35 index opened down 0.31 points, or 0.00%, at 19,934.59; and the Italian FTSE MIB index opened up 49.16 points, or 0.09%, at 53,067.00.

According to Futures News on August 19th, as of 15:00 Beijing time, spot platinum rose 0.26% and spot palladium rose 0.12%.

ECB Governing Council member Rehn: Maintaining stable inflation expectations is crucial.

ECB Governing Council member Rehn: Wage growth and the wage outlook remain moderate, with no clear signs of a second wave.

MINIMAX-W (00100.HK) fell by more than 10%, with a turnover of nearly HK$2.5 billion.

On August 19th, it was reported that the 18th Plenary Session of the China Artificial Intelligence Industry Development Alliance was held in Beijing on August 18th. Gan Xiaobin, Deputy Director of the Science and Technology Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, pointed out in his speech that the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has thoroughly implemented the decisions and deployments of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, adhering to the principle of taking manufacturing as the main battlefield and application-driven development as the main line to promote the development of the artificial intelligence industry and empower new industrialization. The next step will be to seize the opportunities of change and promote technological innovation, application implementation, ecosystem cultivation, and security governance in an integrated manner. First, driven by technological breakthroughs, we will accelerate breakthroughs in key core technologies such as intelligent chips and explore cutting-edge technologies such as brain-like intelligence, world models, and physical models. Second, driven by scenario applications, we will deeply implement "analog-data resonance," humanoid robots, and embodied intelligence real-world training, creating a virtuous cycle of mutual promotion among models, data, and scenarios. Third, supported by ecosystem optimization, we will adhere to standard leadership, accelerate the development and application of standards in key areas, and launch influential de facto standards. Fourth, guaranteed by security governance, we will launch a pilot action for ethical review, improve the artificial intelligence science and technology ethics governance system, innovate security governance technology tools, and establish a security governance mechanism covering the entire life cycle.

UAE officials say reports of providing financial facilities to Iran are untrue.

SK Hynix shares narrowed their losses in after-hours trading, buoyed by the buyback news.

On August 19th, it was learned from Xiaomi that their upcoming next-generation humanoid robot will be approximately 1.7 meters tall, weigh 66 kilograms, and have 66 degrees of freedom, half of which are concentrated in its hands. Currently, this robot is a prototype and will be exhibited in Europe after its initial domestic debut. In 2022, Xiaomi released its full-size humanoid robot "Tieda," nearly two months earlier than the Tesla Optimus prototype. Tieda was 1.77 meters tall, weighed 52 kilograms, and had 21 degrees of freedom. Since then, Xiaomi has released little information regarding its robotics products.