July 22, 2026

US stocks advanced on July 21, with the S&P 500 closing at a record 7,509.20 as upbeat second-quarter earnings and a rebound in semiconductor shares powered gains ahead of results from Alphabet and Tesla.

Private-sector hiring in the United States cooled for a fourth consecutive week, with employers adding an average of about 16,500 jobs per week through early July, according to ADP's weekly measure, pointing to a softening labor market.

US federal banking agencies published a joint statement on the handling of highly sensitive information during bank examinations, part of a steady stream of supervisory and enforcement activity from regulators in mid-July.

Brent crude rose above $92 a barrel on July 22 after the United States carried out its eleventh consecutive night of strikes on Iran, renewing worries that higher energy costs could keep inflation elevated and cloud the market outlook.

The Indian government has launched a centralized portal under its 'Your Money, Your Right' campaign, letting citizens locate and reclaim unclaimed financial assets across dormant bank deposits, insurance policies, unpaid dividends and mutual funds in one place.

Indian bank credit expanded 17.65% year-on-year as of late May, its quickest pace in almost two years, outstripping deposit growth of 12.21% and widening the credit-deposit gap, according to Reserve Bank of India data.

The Bank of England's July Financial Stability Report flagged rising leverage in equity markets tied to AI-linked stocks and warned that rapid advances in frontier AI are increasing cyber and operational risks across the financial system.

Japanese stocks held near record highs as Bank of Japan officials signalled further gradual interest-rate increases toward a neutral level around 2%, citing accelerating wholesale inflation and firms passing on higher costs.

South Korea's Kospi jumped 3.56% to 6,747.95 on July 21, recovering from a sharp semiconductor-driven selloff, as data showed exports surging in early July on booming AI chip demand and after the central bank raised rates to 2.75%.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore, with banks and fintech firms, released a white paper setting out runtime safeguards for autonomous AI agents performing financial tasks, as human oversight becomes harder to maintain at scale.

The global Islamic finance industry has surpassed $2.44 trillion in assets, growing about 11.4% across banking, takaful insurance and asset management, with the UAE positioning itself as a leading hub for the sector.

The Bank of Canada kept its policy rate at 2.25% at its July decision, leaving households navigating elevated fixed mortgage rates and a heavy wave of 2026 mortgage renewals amid trade uncertainty and a softening labor market.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended the possibility of a 50% tariff on Canadian imports as simple reciprocity, adding to trade tensions that analysts say are clouding a revival in Canadian investment.

German insurance giant Allianz is in advanced discussions to acquire Portuguese insurer Caravela Seguros after submitting an offer, in a move that would expand its footprint in southern Europe.

Reserve Bank of Australia officials turned attention to the resilience of the payments system and broader financial-system risks, as the central bank weighs modernisation of payments policy ahead of its August rate decision.