Xun Ce Technology (3317.HK) said it has priced a placement of new H shares at HK$107.7 per share. The company also announced the issuance of a RMB1.36 billion zero-coupon convertible bond that is denominated in renminbi, settled in U.S. dollars and due 2027. It did not disclose specific uses of proceeds or any major strategic changes, and said there were no adjustments to guidance or regulatory events triggering the move.

CITIC Securities said the average price of praseodymium-neodymium oxide reached 731,000 yuan per tonne in the first half of 2026, up 73.6% year on year. The report attributed the rise to a sharp drop in import and recycled supply, alongside tighter enforcement of China’s rare earth management policies that kept supply constrained. On the demand side, it cited higher output of new energy vehicles and robots as well as strong growth in export orders. The price move reflects a material tightening in the supply-demand balance for a key rare earth raw material.

Brent crude remained under pressure near $71 a barrel this week and is set for a fourth straight weekly decline, the longest losing streak since August 2024. Saudi Arabia’s exports have returned to 90% of prewar levels, with most shipments moving through the Strait of Hormuz, while the UAE and Iran have also boosted supplies amid expectations of looser supply tied to a temporary US-Iran arrangement. Citigroup expects Brent to fall to $60–65 a barrel by year-end.

The Malaysian ringgit strengthened in early trade on Friday, rising to 4.0705/0805 against the US dollar from the previous close. The move followed a sharp downside surprise in US June nonfarm payrolls, which rose by 57,000 versus a 114,000 consensus, alongside downward revisions to April and May. The ringgit also gained against the British pound, Japanese yen, euro, Philippine peso, Indonesian rupiah, Thai baht and Singapore dollar.

Most main futures contracts in China opened higher in early trading, with more gainers than losers. Palladium rose more than 4%, while lithium carbonate and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) gained more than 3%. Platinum, Shanghai silver and methanol climbed more than 2%, and asphalt and Shanghai gold rose nearly 2%, according to Jin10.

Australian regulators have tightened restrictions on self-managed super fund (SMSF) lending for new residential projects, prompting concerns about developers’ access to finance. Industry groups are calling for an exemption for new-home projects to support the government’s goal of building 1.2 million homes, amid a downturn in dwelling approvals. Data cited in the debate point to earlier APRA investor-loan limits, with analysis of ABS figures by REA Group showing apartment approvals fell about 25% at the time. With commercial-property SMSF loans currently exempt, interest and presales for small industrial warehouse-style assets have risen, affecting domestic banks, listed homebuilders and commercial property REITs.

Oil prices edged lower after crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz continued to rise. The increase added to expectations of looser near-term supply, according to Bloomberg. The move came as US-Iran talks continue, but the report did not cite any breakthrough in the negotiations or any easing of supply-disruption risks.

Cardano’s ADA rose more than 8% in a day to $0.1588, lifting its market value to about $5.78 billion as daily trading volume neared $500 million. The move followed the launch of an ADA Pay plugin that gives more than seven million merchants the ability to accept ADA payments. The tool is built around Cardano’s eUTXO model, allowing fees and expected execution outcomes to be checked before a transaction is submitted. The update was described as a step toward real-world payments, though actual merchant adoption was not confirmed.