The FirstFT Asia newsletter highlights significant developments, including Hong Kong stocks outpacing mainland counterparts due to record inflows and technology optimism, with the Hang Seng index up 16.4% this year. In other news, Joe Biden has been diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer, while Romania’s Nicuşor Dan won the presidential run-off against an ultranationalist. Additionally, the US plans to enforce maximum tariffs on non-compliant trade negotiators, Nvidia is expanding AI chip sales beyond Big Tech, and China’s rare earths export controls threaten global supply chains.
