{"id":65055,"date":"2026-07-19T21:38:14","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T01:38:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/markets-shaken-by-ninth-night-of-u-s-iran-strikes-china-maintains-lending-rates\/65055\/"},"modified":"2026-07-19T21:38:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T01:38:14","slug":"markets-shaken-by-ninth-night-of-u-s-iran-strikes-china-maintains-lending-rates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/markets-shaken-by-ninth-night-of-u-s-iran-strikes-china-maintains-lending-rates\/65055\/","title":{"rendered":"Markets Shaken by Ninth Night of U.S.-Iran Strikes; China Maintains Lending Rates"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>U.S. forces launched a ninth consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran<\/strong>, targeting military infrastructure in response to mounting American casualties, including <strong>17 service members killed<\/strong> since the conflict began in February.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The People\u2019s Bank of China (PBOC) held its benchmark Loan Prime Rates (LPR) steady<\/strong>, with the <strong>1-year LPR at 3.00%<\/strong> and the <strong>5-year LPR at 3.50%<\/strong>, matching market expectations despite slowing GDP growth.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Global energy markets face heightened risk<\/strong> following reports from Iran&#39;s Revolutionary Guards that <strong>two oil tankers were blown up<\/strong> by naval mines in the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>, a claim the U.S. military has disputed.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ukrainian drones successfully targeted major Russian logistics hubs<\/strong>, including a massive <strong>Wildberries<\/strong> distribution center in the Moscow region, which serves as a critical node for dual-use military and civilian supplies.<\/li>\n<li><strong>China\u2019s growth-focused indices, ChiNext and STAR 50, are projected to jump 2-3% at the open<\/strong>, buoyed by a significant <strong>398.5 billion yuan liquidity injection<\/strong> by the central bank.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Middle East Conflict Escalates<\/h2>\n<p>The military confrontation between Washington and Tehran reached a new peak Monday as <strong>U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM)<\/strong> confirmed a ninth night of precision strikes. The operations aim to degrade Iranian capabilities used to threaten commercial shipping in the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>. Tensions have intensified following the death of an American soldier in northern Iraq and two others in Jordan, bringing the total U.S. death toll to <strong>17<\/strong> since February 28.<\/p>\n<p>In a significant escalation of maritime warfare, Iran\u2019s Revolutionary Guards claimed that <strong>two oil tankers<\/strong> were destroyed by mines on the southern route of the Strait of Hormuz. While the U.S. military dismissed these reports as &quot;false,&quot; the <strong>British Maritime Agency<\/strong> reported a fire on a vessel in the area, and the <strong>U.S. Embassy<\/strong> warned of potential strikes in Manama, Bahrain. These developments have pushed <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/energy\/crude-oil\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"12\" title=\"Crude oil\">oil prices<\/a> higher as the strategic waterway remains virtually blocked.<\/p>\n<h2>China Holds Rates, Injects Liquidity<\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>People\u2019s Bank of China (PBOC)<\/strong> maintained its benchmark lending rates for the 14th consecutive month. The <strong>1-year LPR<\/strong> remains at <strong>3.00%<\/strong>, while the <strong>5-year LPR<\/strong>, the reference for mortgages, was kept at <strong>3.50%<\/strong>. Analysts suggest the hold reflects Beijing\u2019s caution regarding currency stability and a preference for targeted fiscal support over broad monetary easing.<\/p>\n<p>To stabilize markets ahead of the opening bell, the PBOC injected <strong>398.5 billion yuan ($54.8 billion)<\/strong> into the banking system via 7-day reverse repos, keeping the rate at <strong>1.40%<\/strong>. Consequently, the tech-heavy <strong>ChiNext Index<\/strong> and the <strong>STAR 50 Index<\/strong> are expected to surge by <strong>2%<\/strong> and <strong>3%<\/strong> respectively. However, the <strong>Yuan midpoint<\/strong> was fixed at a weaker <strong>6.7948 per USD<\/strong>, reflecting the broader strength of the greenback.<\/p>\n<h2>Ukraine Strikes Russian Logistics<\/h2>\n<p>In the Russia-Ukraine theater, Kyiv has expanded its long-range drone campaign to hit Russia&#39;s economic heartland. Moscow\u2019s Mayor reported the interception of <strong>20 drones<\/strong>, but several struck a <strong>Wildberries<\/strong> distribution hub in Kolyadino. Wildberries, often called &quot;Russia&#39;s Amazon,&quot; is increasingly viewed as a vital supplier of dual-use electronics and sanctioned components for the Russian military.<\/p>\n<h2>Market Reactions and Commodities<\/h2>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/metal\/gold\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"gold price today\">Gold<\/a><\/strong> prices continued their retreat, falling toward <strong>$4,000 per ounce<\/strong> as &quot;higher-for-longer&quot; interest rate expectations dominate investor sentiment. The surge in oil prices, driven by the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong> crisis, has reignited inflation fears, prompting Federal Reserve officials to signal that further rate hikes remain on the table.<\/p>\n<p>In Asia-Pacific markets, equities showed a mixed performance. While Chinese tech boards prepared for a rally, South Korea\u2019s <strong>KOSPI (<a href=\"\/stock\/KOSPI\">KOSPI<\/a>)<\/strong> retreated as traders weighed the impact of regional instability. Markets in Japan remained closed for a public holiday, providing a temporary reprieve from the volatility.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways U.S. forces launched a ninth consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, targeting military infrastructure in response to mounting 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