Strait of Hormuz shipping disruptions lead Asian refineries to resume US crude purchases.

According to Bit.com market data, the US semiconductor equipment sector rebounded in pre-market trading, with individual stocks rising as follows: Applied Materials (AMAT) up 3.41%, Onto Innovation (ONTO) up 2.23%, Lam Research (LRCX) up 3.06%, KLA Corporation (KLAC) up 2.74%, Teradyne (TER) up 3.03%, and Entegris (ENTG) up 2.00%.

According to Hyperinsight monitoring, SK Hynix’s stock once dipped below $1,200 intraday today, triggering a wave of concentrated bottom-fishing in crypto-related contracts. Across platforms, long positions for SKHX rose significantly; Binance’s funding rate jumped to 0.5% per 8 hours, with trading congestion rising notably. On Hyperliquid, the large wallet posting the strongest profit in this bottom-fishing round is the address starting with 0x803. This address currently holds a 10x isolated long position of 1,500 SKHX contracts, with a notional position size of around $1.949 million and an average entry price of $1,183.3. As of press time, SKHX trades at approximately $1,299.5, some 9.8% above its cost basis. The long position has an unrealized profit of around $174,300, with the return rate climbing to 98.2%—the highest among all visible large SKHX bottom-fishing addresses on the platform, and its liquidation price stands at $1,023.9. Data shows that during SKHX’s accelerated midday dip, this address completed 228 buy orders within roughly half an hour, accumulating 1,500 contracts at prices ranging from $1,165.7 to $1,204.4, with a total transaction value of around $1.775 million. Following SKHX’s subsequent sharp rebound, the position quickly turned from low-level entry to substantial unrealized profit. Currently, the address has placed two take-profit sell orders for 300 contracts each at $1,305.5 and $1,315.5 respectively, totaling 600 contracts with a notional value of around $786,000, covering 40% of its current long position. If both orders are fully executed, the remaining 900 long contracts will retain upside exposure. HyperInsight Bot is now live. Add @HyperInsightBot to your Telegram group and set it as admin (enable message sending permission) to automatically sync on-chain news.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signed an order pausing the construction of new ultra-large data centers. The ban takes effect immediately and applies to data centers with power consumption of 50 megawatts or more. Earlier, a study cited by Fortune reported that the rapid expansion of AI data centers in the U.S. has driven a sharp rise in public power costs. PJM Interconnection, the grid operator overseeing 14 states in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic and Midwest, estimates that the new power demand from data centers will lead to an additional $230 billion in costs for electricity users, with the impact lasting at least until the end of 2028. The report notes that while several major tech companies have pledged to cover the cost of new power infrastructure, costs for public facilities such as transmission lines, substations, and grid upgrades are typically shared uniformly by regulators, meaning some expenses may still be passed on to residents and general commercial users. The study also points out that some data centers can reduce power usage during grid peak hours by flexibly adjusting their load, thus cutting grid costs allocated based on peak load. However, these facilities still consume large amounts of electricity, resulting in their actual cost burden being lower than the pressure they exert on the grid.

Samsung Electronics says it is not currently considering issuing American Depositary Receipts (ADRs). Earlier, sources familiar with the matter revealed that Samsung Electronics is in the preliminary stage of exploring ADR issuance. The company has held initial discussions with multiple banks but has not yet decided whether to move forward with the plan. Samsung will closely monitor the volatile performance of memory chip stocks during the decision-making process. If it ultimately proceeds with a US listing, its massive business portfolio and ongoing labor disputes may pose challenges to the transaction structure design. Sources added that Samsung evaluated ADR issuance in the past but ultimately abandoned the idea. However, SK Hynix’s recent successful US listing has given Samsung new impetus to re-examine this option. BlockBeats Note: Samsung Electronics is one of the core subsidiaries of Samsung Group; the two are not parallel independent entities.

Shipping data platform Kpler reports that the number of vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz fell by roughly 52% year-on-year between July 10 and 12. All vessels have resumed taking more cautious navigation routes. Meanwhile, vessel traffic via Iran and alternative routes has increased, while activity along International Maritime Organization (IMO)-designated routes and in Omani waters has almost completely halted. While no IMO-confirmed attacks have occurred since June 27, tensions between the U.S. and Iran, plus warnings from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, have kept the commercial shipping sector on high alert. Yesterday, Trump announced the immediate resumption of a blockade on Iran, imposing a 20% fee on cargo transits. In response, Iran stated it cannot "open" the Strait of Hormuz. "For those concerned, a simple clarification: A blockade is a blockade. It cannot 'open' the Strait of Hormuz—it will only restrict it. The only way out of this self-inflicted predicament is to remain open and flexible in negotiations and follow reason."

Oman's Foreign Minister stated that complex discussions are currently underway to develop a long-term arrangement to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.