Markets

A video of a car being struck by lightning at a service area in Guangxi, China went viral. The driver reported being unharmed and unaware of the strike. Experts explain that lightning is caused by the uneven distribution of electrical charges within storm clouds. Drivers are advised to stay inside vehicles during thunderstorms and avoid parking under trees or in flood-prone areas. When driving through flooded roads, ensure the water level is below half the tire height.

Tencent’s WeChat has again addressed the recurrent user demand for a “read receipt” feature. The company reiterated that it has never implemented this function and has no plans to do so. This decision is intentional, aiming to grant users autonomy over their responses and avoid potential social pressure and anxiety linked to immediate reply expectations after a message is marked as “read.” WeChat prioritizes user comfort over sender confirmation.

On August 6, 2025, Endeavour Mining repurchased 30,000 ordinary shares through Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited at prices between 2,456.00 and 2,484.00 GBp, with a volume-weighted average price of 2,477.33 GBp. Following share cancellation, Endeavour will have 241,653,368 ordinary shares in issue with voting rights and no treasury shares. This buyback is part of a program announced on March 20, 2025, aiming to return value to shareholders. The transaction reduces the company’s available capital while potentially increasing earnings per share.

Alex Butler, a 15-year-old from Seattle, became a millionaire by creating the card game “Taco vs. Burrito” at age seven. Butler refined the game through family testing and crowdfunding before launching it on Amazon. The game’s viral success led to over 1.5 million copies sold and an acquisition by PlayMonster. Butler, motivated by profit, plans to buy a Lamborghini with his earnings.

President Trump announced a potential 100% tariff on imported chips, sparking concerns about price increases. He clarified that the tariff exemption would apply to companies manufacturing in the USA. Apple CEO Tim Cook met with Trump, showcasing Apple’s increased US investment pledge to $600 billion, including a smart glass factory in Kentucky. The investment also supports Apple’s US supply chain. Trump reiterated his “Made in the USA” focus, preferring domestic production over Apple’s investments in India.

Planet Based Foods (PBFFF) announced leadership and governance changes, appointing Supreet Sidhu as CFO and Beata Jirava as an independent director. The company is seeking court relief regarding the timing of its 2023 and 2024 Annual General Meetings due to past financial constraints stemming from decreased consumer demand for plant-based products and cost structure issues. PBFFF aims to hold both AGMs by December 31, 2025, pending court approval. These changes reflect PBFFF’s commitment to transparency and sustainable value creation.

Alibaba’s 88VIP membership program is expanding its perks without raising prices, adding over 10 new exclusive benefits. The upgrade combines features from previous programs, offering complimentary Hema X membership, prioritized Ele.me deliveries, Feizhu perks, movie ticket discounts, and Gaode ride-hailing vouchers. This builds upon previous enhancements and brings the total number of benefits to over 20, covering dining, entertainment, travel, and daily life. With over 50 million members, 88VIP is influential in Chinese consumer spending.

Zhou Hongyi, founder of 360, addressed concerns about Nvidia’s H20 AI chip security at a Beijing conference, following reports of Chinese regulatory scrutiny. While acknowledging the difficulty of detecting hardware backdoors, Zhou stated software-related vulnerabilities are inevitable. He distinguished between intentional backdoors and unintentional vulnerabilities, suggesting China’s suspicions are reasonable given past US government requests to Nvidia. Despite this, Zhou believes Nvidia likely has no deliberate malicious intent and proposed a third-party security audit to address concerns. Nvidia denies any backdoors in its chips.

Energy Fuels Inc. reported a strong Q2 2025, driven by record uranium production at Pinyon Plain. Strategic focus on rare earth elements and heavy mineral sands is progressing, with the Donald Project in Australia receiving key approvals. The company is piloting dysprosium oxide production and anticipates terbium oxide production in November 2025. Energy Fuels boasts over $250 million in liquidity and no debt, with improved net loss compared to Q1 2025. Uranium sales guidance was updated to 350,000 pounds.

China’s MSS warns of increased espionage via cyberattacks targeting personal and state data. Exploits include compromised smart cameras (default passwords, lack of updates) and malware spread through automatic downloads on online forums. The MSS advises users to strengthen security: avoid default passwords, use reliable antivirus software, update systems, and exercise caution with automatic downloads, urging vigilance against foreign intelligence agencies.