Key Takeaways
- A powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula has triggered tsunami warnings across the Pacific, including Hawaii, Alaska, Japan, and the U.S. West Coast, with waves expected to reach American shores within four hours.
- LG Energy Solution (LGES) has signed a substantial $4.3 billion battery supply deal, widely speculated to be with Tesla (TSLA), signaling a significant shift towards Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) technology in the EV and energy storage sectors.
- Taiwan's Vice Premier is continuing critical talks in the U.S. to discuss tariffs, as a strong Taiwan dollar and U.S. tariff pressure threaten to damage the local economy.
- Elon Musk has re-entered "wartime CEO" mode, working seven days a week and sleeping in his office, amidst mounting pressure across his ventures including Tesla, SpaceX, and X.
A major 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, prompting widespread tsunami warnings across the Pacific. The powerful tremor, described as one of the strongest ever recorded, has led to a state of emergency in Hawaii, with officials urging evacuations in coastal areas as destructive tsunami waves are anticipated to reach the islands within four hours. Drone footage from Russia's Severo-Kurilsk port shows extensive damage after a tsunami hit the town, flooding parts of the port and a fish processing plant, leading to evacuations.
In corporate news, LG Energy Solution (LGES) has secured a significant $4.3 billion contract to supply Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries. While the counterpart was not officially named, it is widely speculated to be Tesla (TSLA). This deal, set to begin in 2027 and with options for extension, highlights the growing dominance of LFP technology in electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems, and positions LGES to potentially outcompete Chinese supply chains.
Meanwhile, Taiwan's Vice Premier is engaged in crucial tariff discussions in the United States, with an August 1st deadline to reach an agreement. The ongoing negotiations are vital as a strong Taiwan dollar and the threat of U.S. tariff pressure, including a previously announced 32% import duty, could significantly impact Taiwan's local economy and its small and medium-sized enterprises.
Adding to the dynamic global landscape, Elon Musk has announced his return to an intense "wartime CEO" work schedule, involving seven-day workweeks and sleeping in his office. This demanding routine comes as Musk navigates significant developments and pressures across his various companies, including Tesla (TSLA), SpaceX, and X.
In other news, the Trump Administration temporarily suspended, then restored, NIH research funding. This follows earlier reports of significant disruptions and cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the world's largest public funder of biomedical research, which had led to a 54% decrease in new project grants in the first half of 2025 compared to the previous nine-year average.

Ed Liston is a senior contributing editor at TheStockMarketWatch.com. An active market watcher and investor, Ed guides an independent team of experienced analysts and writes for multiple stock trader publications.