π° Hourly Briefing | 2026-08-04 13:00 CST
HSBC Q2 profit surges 60% to $10.1B beating estimates, announces $1B buyback; Palantir revenue nearly doubles on AI sovereignty narrative; Moscow region drone strike kills 5; SK Hynix gets Moody's A rating.
π Market Snapshot
| Asset | Latest | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold XAUUSD | 4063.69 | +8.41 | +0.21% |
| WTI Crude USOIL | 79.83 | +1.10 | +1.40% |
Gold consolidating in a narrow range, intraday high 4069 / low 4042, bulls holding above 4060. Oil extends rebound, approaching the 80 mark.
π₯ Key News This Hour
1. HSBC Q2 Profit Surges 60%, Announces $1B Buyback HSBC Q2 pretax profit reached $10.1B, up 60% YoY, beating analyst estimates, driven by strong wealth management performance. Simultaneously announced a buyback program of up to $1B. H1 net profit up 23.15% YoY, revenue $37.7B.
2. Palantir Revenue Nearly Doubles, AI Sovereignty Narrative Gains Traction Palantir Q2 revenue grew 93% YoY, significantly raising full-year guidance. Growth driven not only by AI demand but by enterprises beginning to deploy AI as “sovereign capability” β data autonomy, model autonomy, compute autonomy logic being priced in.
3. Moscow Region Drone Strike: 5 Killed, 6 Injured Russian Moscow region hit by drone attack, a warehouse caught fire. Regional officials confirmed 5 dead and 6 injured. Conflict escalation continues.
4. Zelensky Dismisses Ukrainian Ambassador to US Ukrainian President Zelensky dismissed Ambassador to the US Stefanishyna. She stated it was her own request, appointed in August 2025. Diplomatic personnel change at a sensitive time.
5. SK Hynix Gets Moody’s A Rating, AI Storage Competitiveness Recognized Moody’s elevated SK Hynix credit rating to A-tier for the first time, reflecting enhanced competitiveness in the AI storage market and improved profitability and cash generation.
6. Korea Semiconductor Cluster Policy Upgrade South Korea detailed rules: for regions designated as semiconductor industry clusters, national fiscal funds will cover up to 100% of infrastructure costs including power and water. Unprecedented government backing.
7. HK Morning Close: Hang Seng -0.49%, HS Tech -0.19% Hang Seng half-day turnover 135.1B HKD. Optical communication, PCB, chips, and pharma outsourcing led gains. Broad market slightly lower, tech relatively resilient.
8. USD/JPY Game: 155 Level Is the Intervention Battleground Analysis suggests Trump helping Japan stabilize FX, Washington may push Tokyo for cooperation on rates, trade, investment, and security. Whether USD/JPY breaks below 155 determines intervention success.
π§ Market Assessment
Gold consolidating around 4060, market waiting for more catalysts.
Oil rebound approaching 80, a decisive breakout would open further upside.
HSBC earnings beat + buyback provides positive support for HK financials.
Palantir revenue doubling validates accelerated AI deployment, but valuation already reflects expectations β chasing highs requires caution.
Korea’s unprecedented semiconductor policy + SK Hynix Moody’s upgrade signal continued storage sector momentum.
Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to escalate, geopolitical risk premium unlikely to fade short-term.
USD/JPY entering a key zone, 155 is the bull-bear dividing line.
β° Upcoming Key Data
- No major US economic data releases scheduled for today (8/4)
- This week’s focus: Friday (8/7) US Non-Farm Payrolls (July NFP), the most important macro event of the week
- Ongoing: USD/JPY central bank intervention dynamics around the 155 level