The Intelligence Layer Beyond Your Own Book

U.S. President Trump has signed a deal with Australian Prime Minister Albanese to boost America’s access to rare earth metals and other critical minerals. Rare earths have been a key flashpoint in U.S.–China trade tensions, with China dominating the supply chain and imposing export curbs on these materials.

In Japan, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party will enter into a coalition with the Japan Innovation Party today — a move to set up recently elected LDP leader Sanae Takaichi as the next Prime Minister. Takaichi has long advocated for increased government spending to boost the Japanese economy and has criticised the Bank of Japan’s tightening policy.

Stocks fell further as investors turned to safe havens after regional bank shares in the U.S. tumbled on fears of deteriorating lending standards following Tricolor’s collapse. U.S. equity futures dropped 0.7%, and Asian shares dipped 0.9%.