Hourly Briefing | 2026-07-04 12:00 CST
Gold surges 1.18% nearing 4200; Iran holds farewell for Khamenei as Trump signals openness to deal; Putin demands continued strikes on Ukrainian military facilities
π Market Snapshot
- Spot Gold (XAUUSD): 4174.66 β +1.18%, intraday high 4195.44, strong breakout
- WTI Crude (USOIL): 68.73 β +0.45%, narrow range, limited volatility
- US markets closed today for Independence Day
π₯ Key News This Hour
π Geopolitics
- Iran holds public farewell ceremony for late Supreme Leader Khamenei, funeral spans five cities across Iran and Iraq
- Trump says Iran “very much wants a deal,” gives Iran “a week off” due to Khamenei’s funeral
- Putin demands continued large-scale strikes on Ukrainian military-industrial facilities
- China Coast Guard conducts routine law enforcement patrols in waters east of Taiwan Island
πΊπΈ United States
- Washington D.C. Independence Day parade cancelled due to extreme heat
- Trump declares US economy “roaring,” stock market posts best quarter since his previous term
π¨π³ China
- National Data Administration issues guidelines on data property rights registration to promote secure and compliant data circulation
- Changguang Satellite completes nearly 5 billion yuan equity financing for three core areas
- Greater Bay Area’s first Hualong One project β Taipingling Nuclear Power Unit 2 β successfully connected to the grid
- NBS: 13 product prices rose, 34 fell in late June vs mid-June
π€ Technology
- World’s first neuromorphic dynamics chip unveiled, advancing brain-computer interface technology
- Unitree Robotics executive: intelligent robot industry poised for three major breakthroughs within 2-5 years
- Qianwen and Doubao both announce AI agent features will be discontinued by mid-July
βοΈ Other
- 7-Eleven sues Nike, alleging new sneaker color scheme infringes on its iconic branding
π§ Market Assessment
Gold surged 1.18% intraday approaching the 4200 level, with heightened Middle East uncertainty during Khamenei’s funeral combined with thin liquidity during the US Independence Day holiday driving a concentrated release of safe-haven demand
Trump’s overture to Iran paired with a “one-week break” is essentially a tactical buffer to avoid confrontation during the funeral period β near-term geopolitical premium persists but is unlikely to expand further
Putin continues to emphasize strikes on Ukrainian military infrastructure, with no signs of de-escalation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict
Crude oil only edged up 0.45%, suggesting the market has priced in Middle East tensions more rationally, with no substantive progress on the Strait of Hormuz toll proposal
US markets closed today; when trading resumes Monday, attention should focus on rate hike expectations following the weak nonfarm payrolls data and capital flows in the AI sector
β° Upcoming Key Data
- No major data releases today (US Independence Day holiday)
- Next week: July 7 (Mon) ISM Services PMI, July 9 (Wed) FOMC Meeting Minutes