According to BlockBeats, on July 29, U.S. Central Command reported that at 5:45 p.m. Eastern Time (5:45 a.m. Beijing Time), forces of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched multiple ballistic missiles from Iran in an attempt to launch a surprise attack on U.S. forces in the Middle East. All Iranian missiles were successfully intercepted. The U.S. military remains on high alert.

According to Bitget market data, WTI crude oil surged 4%.

According to BlockBeats, on July 29, SK Hynix's US stock price rebounded after hours, recovering from a previous after-hours drop of about 9%, and is scheduled to hold an analyst conference call at 8:00 AM (UTC+8).

According to BlockBeats, SK Hynix disclosed in its financial report on July 29th that it achieved mass production and shipment of HBM4 in the second quarter and will expand production and supply in the second half of the year; HBM4E samples were delivered in the first half of the year, using optimal process technology. The company emphasized that it will continue to consolidate its leading position in HBM by leveraging high quality, high yield, stable supply, cost competitiveness, and highest performance. It has also signed long-term chip supply agreements with 10 customers to improve medium- and long-term demand visibility and cope with price fluctuations, and is evaluating additional shareholder return measures to enhance the scale and sustainability of returns. Capital expenditure is expected to reach the high end of the 40 trillion won range in 2026.

DRAM shipments are projected to grow by approximately 10% quarter-over-quarter in the third quarter, while NAND shipments are expected to grow at a low single-digit rate. As supply constraints ease and AI applications expand, smartphone and PC growth momentum will gradually recover, but sales will be temporarily adjusted due to memory supply challenges. Improved efficiency in AI models and software will increase accessibility and drive infrastructure demand. DRAM market demand growth in 2026 is projected to be in the mid-range of 20%-30%, while NAND growth is expected to be at the high end of the 10%-20% range.

According to BlockBeats, on July 29th, SK Hynix (SKHY.O) released its financial report, showing a 557% surge in operating profit to 60.5 trillion won (approximately US$41.62 billion) in the second quarter, a record high, driven by strong demand for advanced memory chips due to increased investment in AI data centers by tech giants. This figure was compared to 9.2 trillion won in the same period last year. However, this figure was lower than the market expectation of 64 trillion won, mainly because its high-end memory chips (HBM) accounted for a higher proportion of its products compared to its competitors. Consequently, it failed to fully benefit from the current strong price increase cycle of conventional memory chips, exacerbating concerns that the AI boom driving the semiconductor industry may be slowing down.

SK Hynix's revenue also fell short of expectations. Its financial report showed that its second-quarter revenue was 79 trillion won, while the market expected 84 trillion won.

Following its earnings report, SK Hynix shares fell 9% on Tuesday and then dropped another 9% in after-hours trading, currently trading down 2.74% at $126.55.