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On June 23, Rio Tinto (RIO.N), BHP Billiton (BHP.N), and Caterpillar Inc. (CAT.N) launched a trial of battery-powered electric transport trucks in the Pilbara region. The joint trial showed "significant progress." In the initial testing phase, over 100 hours of operation and 200 test cycles have been completed. The next phase will evaluate dynamic charging technology. The three companies stated that dynamic charging could become a key factor in improving operational efficiency. BHP Billiton reiterated its target of reducing operating greenhouse gas emissions by at least 30% from fiscal year 2020 levels by fiscal year 2030.

Rio Tinto (RIO.N): Rio Tinto (RIO.N), BHP Billiton (BHP.N) and Caterpillar (CAT.N) launched a trial of a battery-powered electric transport truck in Pilbara.

On June 23, US President Trump posted on social media, “At least 39 people injured and 4 dead in the Chicago weekend shooting. Governor Pritzker, as president, I can fix this quickly and permanently. Washington, D.C., Memphis, New Orleans, [crime rates] are at historic lows, and very quickly! Call me!” Since Friday night, a series of shootings in Chicago have resulted in multiple injuries and deaths. This violence has prompted Trump to renew his call for the deployment of troops to Chicago. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has repeatedly rejected such federal intervention.

June 23 – According to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA), Tesla (TSLA.O) new car registrations in the EU, UK, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland more than doubled year-on-year in May, reaching 28,610 units. In the EU market alone, Tesla sold 21,767 units, also more than double the sales of the same period last year. May marks the fourth consecutive month of sales growth for Tesla in Europe, indicating that after more than a year of decline, the company's electric vehicles are regaining consumer favor. According to ACEA data, the company first achieved new car registration growth since December 2024 in February of this year.

Deutsche Bank: If the Federal Reserve raises interest rates, gold prices could fall to $3,800 per ounce.

June 23 – Morningstar analyst Phelix Lee stated in a report that capital expenditures by leading memory chip manufacturers are likely to increase further this year and next. This growth is primarily driven by long-term supply agreements negotiated with customers, which Morningstar believes are conducive to maintaining stable profit margins and signify high financial commitments from customers. Therefore, memory chip capacity growth is likely to be very strong, particularly in the DRAM and HBM sectors.

According to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association, in May, Nissan's new car registrations in the EU fell by 8.5%, Volkswagen Group's by 3.6%, Stlantis's by 2.6%, and Hyundai's by 1.3%.

The European Automobile Manufacturers Association (EAMA) reported that new car registrations in the EU rose 4% to 4,748,801 units between January and May.

The European Automobile Manufacturers Association (EAMA) reported that new car registrations in the EU rose 3.2% in May, reaching 955,013 vehicles.

The European Automobile Manufacturers Association (EAMA) reported that electric vehicles accounted for 69.49% of new registrations in the EU, UK, and EFTA in May.

The European Automobile Manufacturers Association (EADA) reported that Tesla (TSLA.O) rose to 2.5% market share in the EU, UK, and EFTA in May, and to 10.66% in the battery electric vehicle (BEV) market.

Malaysia's Trade Minister: Malaysia faces a potential 10% tariff risk after July 24 due to allegations of forced labor.

On June 23, TA Securities analyst Shazma Juliana Abu Bakar stated in a report that the recent diesel subsidy reform in Malaysia is likely to have a negligible direct impact on inflation, as most eligible diesel users will continue to receive subsidized fuel, and logistics operators will also be protected. From July 1st, Malaysia will set diesel prices nationwide at market rates, allowing eligible citizens to purchase subsidized diesel at RM2.10 per liter. The analyst expects transportation costs and broader price pressures to remain manageable, noting that diesel accounts for only 0.2% of the Consumer Price Index (CPI). She added that the reform should help maintain household purchasing power, but its impact on overall consumption may be limited due to the relatively small beneficiary group. TA Securities maintains its 2026 inflation forecast for Malaysia at 2.1%-2.6% and GDP growth forecast at 4.3%-4.7%.

Alibaba's Hong Kong-listed shares (09988.HK) fell below HK$100, hitting a new low since April 2025, and are currently down more than 3%.

The Hang Seng Tech Index fell by more than 2%, with MINIMAX-W (00100.HK) falling by more than 12% and Zhipu (02513.HK) falling by more than 9%.

June 23 - Matthew Lynn, a financial columnist for The Daily Telegraph, stated that the US-Israeli military action against Iran was a perfect storm for the energy market, with experts vying to issue the most extreme oil price predictions. However, disaster did not occur. Oil prices did surge, but in real terms, they didn't even reach record highs. In 2008, oil prices reached $147 per barrel, equivalent to $224 today. Now, no one expects emergency measures to curb energy consumption, nor is anyone worried about interest rates soaring to 13% or unemployment skyrocketing. The era of what could be called a "long-term oil crisis," from 1973 to 2026, has ended. This will have three profound impacts. First, the importance of the Middle East will significantly decrease. Second, inflation will be contained. The US is likely to see prices remain almost unchanged year-on-year for the next decade or even longer. Third, and most importantly, the global economy will become more stable. The importance of oil as a commodity has been diminishing over the years. Of course, oil remains very important, but it will be much harder for it to dominate headlines again. Its era has passed, and the world will become more stable as a result.

Most Hong Kong-listed tech stocks declined, with Tencent Music (01698.HK), Bilibili (09626.HK), and JD.com (09618.HK) falling by more than 4%, Kuaishou (01024.HK) falling by more than 3%, and Xiaomi Group (01810.HK), Alibaba (09988.HK), and Tencent Holdings (00700.HK) falling by more than 2%.