Summary · why it matters
Asia Plus Securities assesses that the market in July 2026 faces risks from signs of returning inflation, as the US 10-year bond yield has surged, reflecting market expectations of persistently high inflation and the possibility that central banks may keep interest rates high for longer or even raise them further. Meanwhile, trade war has re-emerged as a risk factor, with Section 122 set to expire on 24 July 2026, and the market is watching the use of Section 301, which could impose tariff barriers as high as 12.5 percent on Thailand, China, Japan, and India. During the previous trade war in 2025, Bitcoin returned a positive 12.9 percent and gold returned 6.6 percent, while global stock markets delivered near-zero or negative returns. The recommended strategy is to speculate on short-term tech stocks after a deep correction, such as DRX names like NBIS80, MICRON80, and SNDK80; upstream energy and refinery stocks that benefit from high oil prices, such as PTTEP, BCP, TOP, and IRPC; and to diversify into inflation-winning assets including gold and Bitcoin through COIN01, GOLD19, and ZIJIN80. Today's highlighted stocks are PTTEP, BCP, and SIRI.