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When asked about the current situation in the Strait of Hormuz, a spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that there has been no change in the navigation situation.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman: Negotiations between Iran and Oman regarding the Strait of Hormuz have been fruitful. Technical and political consultations between the two sides are ongoing.

On July 26th, British Artificial Intelligence Minister Michel Narayan stated that chip manufacturing and drones will be central to Prime Minister Burnham's efforts to promote the UK's "reindustrialization," emphasizing that these technologies will occupy a "top priority" in the new prime minister's plans. However, Narayan stated that the government rejects blindly promoting "technological fanaticism" and will address the "substantial risks" that artificial intelligence poses to employment and national security through regulation and other measures. Regarding the US government's unexpected decision last month to impose export controls on Anthropic's Mythos model, Narayan pointed out that artificial intelligence "has become a central point of contention in geopolitics, and the way to deal with this situation must be to build our own capabilities to gain influence and leverage."

On July 26th, NVIDIA announced on the 25th that it is collaborating with Seoul National University to establish the "NVIDIA AI Technology Center (NVAITC)". The two companies plan to use this center as a core to focus on AI research, expert training, and educational program operations. Joint research areas will cover foundational models, accelerated computing, physical AI, and scientific AI. Furthermore, the two companies will jointly explore solutions for building computing infrastructure to support large-scale AI research. In addition, they plan to utilize NVIDIA's open AI model "NVIDIA Nemotron" and the world's foundational model "Cosmos" for related research.

July 26th - According to foreign media reports, "Big Short" Michael Burry continues to short Micron, Nvidia, and other semiconductor companies. In a Substack post, Burry stated that he further shorted Micron Technology (MU.O) at $933.86 and increased his short position in Nvidia (NVDA.O) at $210.28. Burry also further shorted Caterpillar (CAT.N) at $893.49 and increased his short position in the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) at $535.83.

July 26 – According to a report by The New York Times, US President Trump has shelved plans for a significant escalation of military action against Iran. Trump is concerned that an escalation could dangerously deplete the Pentagon's already dwindling stockpile of Patriot missile interceptors and other air defense munitions in the Middle East. The report states that government officials indicated that the strain on interceptor stockpiles is one of many factors making a resumption of large-scale military action extremely risky. Furthermore, Trump and his senior advisors are also uneasy about the potential for a escalation of the Middle East conflict, the possible alienation of key Gulf allies vulnerable to Iranian attacks, a global economic shock, and a worsening energy and refugee crisis.

Tibo, product lead at OpenAI: ChatGPT Work has officially surpassed Codex in the number of active users.

On July 26th, Huang Renxun discussed the US-China AI competition in an interview with foreign media on July 25th. He stated that outstanding talent will always find excellent solutions, and China is destined to produce excellent AI technology; therefore, China should continue to learn from and cooperate with them.

July 26 – The latest epidemic report released by the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of Congo on July 25 shows that the cumulative number of confirmed cases of Ebola in the country has risen to 3,075, with 1,354 deaths. Data shows that as of July 24, a total of 755 patients were receiving isolation or hospitalization treatment, and the cumulative number of recovered cases was 556. The outbreak has spread to five provinces: Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele, and Chowpo.

On July 26, Australian Prime Minister Barnes stated that he would raise the issue of tariffs with US President Trump. This comes after Washington imposed new tariffs on trading partners, including Australia. The Labor government, led by Barnes, has called the tariffs unreasonable and expressed its desire for their removal. When asked if he would discuss the issue with Trump, Barnes replied, "Of course." "We will raise this issue at all levels of the Australia-US relationship, and in fact, we have already done so."

July 26 – According to Politico, as the US-Iran conflict continues, Arab countries suffering retaliatory attacks from Tehran are attempting to unite and find a path to peace. However, long-standing contradictions are hindering this process. In recent weeks, senior officials from the UAE and Saudi Arabia have publicly posed for photos together, demonstrating a thaw in relations; Jordan and six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have also held talks at the US State Department and Capitol Hill; and the GCC has issued several joint statements condemning Iran's attacks. However, several Arab diplomats, current and former US officials, and people familiar with the regional situation say that while these countries all want to ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains open, their differing priorities in how to achieve this goal are hindering substantial progress. These differences include a series of conflicting interests, such as which countries possess alternative shipping lanes, which countries have the deepest infrastructure ties with Iran, and which country's economy will suffer the greatest losses in the current crisis. An Iraqi official stated, "They are working together to visit the U.S. Congress and the State Department to coordinate their messaging. But they are not on the same page." The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), comprised of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, already had numerous internal divisions before the current conflict, and the war with Iran is further amplifying these contradictions. "They have many issues to resolve, and this war has exacerbated the existing divisions in the Gulf region," said David Schenker, former U.S. State Department director for Middle East affairs.

July 26 - Queensland, Australia, confirmed a case of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza on July 25. This is the fourth state in the country to confirm a case of H5N1 avian influenza since June.

July 26 - Japanese media reported on the 25th that the temperature in Mie Prefecture in central Japan reached 40.2 degrees Celsius that afternoon. This marks the fifth consecutive day that Japan has experienced temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, setting a new record for the longest such streak since records began in 2010.

The Korea Automobile and Mobility Industry Association (KAMA) predicts that domestic car sales in South Korea will increase by 2.7% year-on-year in the second half of the year, reaching 865,000 vehicles, with total sales for the year reaching 1.71 million vehicles.

July 26th - According to the website of the China Maritime Safety Administration, the Dalian Maritime Safety Administration issued a navigation warning: From 8:00 on July 27th to 17:30 on July 29th, live-fire exercises will be conducted in parts of the northern Yellow Sea; entry is prohibited.

On July 26, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung stated that relations between South Korea and South America are entering a "new phase," and that South Korea will push forward negotiations on a free trade agreement with Mercosur and strengthen cooperation in key mineral resources. Lee stated, "Mercosur member states possess world-leading agricultural, food production, energy, and key mineral resources; while South Korea has global competitiveness in advanced manufacturing, digital technology, shipbuilding, the battery industry, and innovation." He added, "By integrating our respective strengths, we can build a robust and resilient industrial and supply chain that benefits both regions." He also emphasized that negotiations on a free trade agreement between South Korea and Mercosur will be restarted. Lee stated that South America possesses abundant reserves of key minerals, while South Korea possesses advanced technology, industrial experience, and investment capabilities; together, they can build a stable supply chain, cultivate emerging industries, and create high-quality jobs that benefit both regions.

July 26 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Jae-myung stated, "South Korea and the United States should expand their cooperation beyond their long-standing security alliance to include technology, innovation, and startups." He emphasized that combining the world-class venture capital capabilities and global network of the United States with South Korea's advanced technological strength and manufacturing competitiveness will create a new batch of globally innovative companies. Lee also called on US venture capital firms to strengthen cooperation and expand investment in South Korea, while pledging to create the world's most attractive investment and entrepreneurial environment. He stated that South Korea will reform its visa system to better attract overseas entrepreneurial talent and lay the foundation for a cooperative system between domestic and foreign companies, research institutions, and investors. He further pledged to help South Korean startups grow into globally competitive companies through funds connecting private and government-managed entities.

The State Council Information Office will hold a press conference on the theme of "Starting the 15th Five-Year Plan" at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. Hu Jinglin, Director of the State Taxation Administration, will introduce the relevant situation of tax reform and development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period and answer questions from reporters.

On July 26th, Tesla (TSLA.O) shares fell nearly 20% this week, closing at $313.03 per share, marking its biggest weekly drop since 2022; SpaceX (SPCX.O) closed at $115.07 per share, its lowest level since its IPO last month. Data from the Bloomberg Billionaires Index shows that Elon Musk's personal wealth evaporated by approximately $130 billion (about 880 billion yuan) in just five trading days, just weeks after he became the first person in history to surpass a trillion-dollar net worth. Musk himself jokingly referred to himself as a "(former) trillionaire" on social media.