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On September 11, a former senior official of the Bank of Japan warned that U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessant's "unusual" intervention in Japanese monetary affairs could damage the Bank of Japan's credibility and trigger greater volatility in global markets. This comes as markets anticipate a 25-basis-point rate hike by the Bank of Japan at its meeting next week, a faster pace than previously anticipated. Bessant has intensified his verbal pressure in recent weeks, challenging global traders to bet against him and claiming inside information about the Bank of Japan's intentions. While senior Japanese government officials and the Bank of Japan have largely refrained from publicly responding to Bessant's remarks, Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama stated that the U.S. Treasury Secretary's "I'm the house" warning to bond traders sounded "a bit scary" when translated into Japanese. Takahide Kiuchi, executive economist at Nomura Research Institute and a former senior official at the Bank of Japan, said, "Bessant's intervention in Japanese monetary policy is unusual and could damage the Bank of Japan's independence." Another former central bank official stated that if the Bank of Japan is perceived as setting interest rates under external influence, markets will be more skeptical of its future statements and decisions, thus eroding its credibility.

European major stock index futures rose slightly, with the Euro Stoxx 50 futures up 0.24%, the German DAX futures up 0.15%, and the UK FTSE futures up 0.22%.

The UK's seasonally adjusted trade deficit with the EU in July was -£11.302 billion, compared to -£12.559 billion in the previous month.

The UK's seasonally adjusted trade balance for July was -£3.45 billion, compared to a forecast of -£4.995 billion and a previous reading of -£5.537 billion.

The UK's seasonally adjusted non-EU trade balance for July was -£9.663 billion, revised from -£10.448 billion in the previous month.

UK GDP grew 0.4% month-on-month in July, below the expected 0% and the previous reading of 0.30%.

UK GDP grew at an annual rate of 1.6% in July, below the expected 1.2% and the previous reading of 1.1%.

According to Saudi Arabia's Al Arabiya TV, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated that Russia also attacked military industrial facilities and logistics service centers in Kyiv.

According to Saudi Arabia's Al Arabiya TV, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated that Russia attacked multiple infrastructure targets in Ukrainian ports and also struck Ukrainian vessels used for transporting weapons in the Odessa region.

September 11th - According to foreign media reports, U.S. consumer price inflation is expected to accelerate in August as gasoline prices rebound after two consecutive months of decline, reinforcing financial market expectations that the Federal Reserve may raise interest rates next week. The U.S. Labor Department will release its August CPI report on Friday. This follows strong performance in several key components of Thursday's PPI report. Economists say that with oil prices returning above $100 per barrel, inflation is bound to remain high and expand further. Other economists believe that price pressures will persist due to import tariffs, especially the recent tariffs imposed on Canada, a major U.S. trading partner.

The governor of Russia's Tula region said that a Ukrainian drone strike on the region killed two people and injured three.

According to Nikkei, the president of Rapidus, a Japanese advanced semiconductor manufacturing company, said that the company is considering building a chip factory on the moon around 2040.

On September 11th, Benedict Cuquela, Chief Investment Strategist at Indosuez Wealth Management, stated in a report that the European Central Bank's (ECB) focus solely on energy supply shocks was surprising. The ECB failed to consider the still fragile demand and the lack of drivers for core inflation. It also did not adequately account for the impact of tightening bond market interest rates. While the ECB is not lacking in credibility on inflation, there is a risk of over-tightening the nascent economic recovery.

September 11 (Kyodo News) – Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi stated at a press conference that day that "no option is ruled out" in discussions and research related to revising the "Three Security Documents" regarding whether Japan should possess nuclear-powered submarines. This is not the first time Koizumi has made similar remarks. Last October, when asked about the issue, Koizumi also stated that "no option is ruled out" for the propulsion system of Japan's next-generation submarines, hinting at the possibility of introducing nuclear submarines.

On September 11, according to a report by Axios citing two US officials, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman called US President Trump twice on September 10, urging him to launch an attack on the Houthi rebels in Yemen. The report stated that Trump rejected the request. US officials said the US government currently has "no intention of taking direct military action against the Houthis." According to Axios, the US is increasingly concerned about the rapidly escalating conflict in Yemen and is increasing its support for Saudi Arabia while striving to avoid direct military intervention. The report also stated that US Central Command Commander Brad Cooper arrived in Saudi Arabia on September 10 for emergency coordination consultations. Axios added that in recent weeks, US military and civilian officials have made it clear to Saudi Arabia that Trump's directive is to "focus US forces on dealing with Iran and 'defending' the Strait of Hormuz, avoiding opening new military fronts."

September 11th - According to Counterpoint, shipments of foldable smartphone panels are projected to decline by 13% year-on-year in the first half of 2026. Specifically, clamshell panel shipments declined by 62% year-on-year, while large-folding panel shipments increased by 35% year-on-year. Second-quarter shipments grew by 85% compared to the first quarter, but were still 16% lower than the second quarter of 2025. Samsung Display (SDC) saw a 6% year-on-year increase in shipments, boosting its supplier market share by 13.5 percentage points to 66%. Full-year 2026 shipments are projected to grow by 23%, with the second half of the year showing a 53% increase compared to the first half and a 71% year-on-year increase. Market shipments are projected to grow by 74% from 2026 to 2030, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 15%.

Citigroup: It expects the European Central Bank to raise interest rates by 25 basis points each in December 2026 and March 2027.