Global markets are overwhelmed by turbulence: investors are weighing the risks of a renewed plunge in the yen amid political uncertainty and the upcoming Bank of Japan meeting. Meanwhile, Brent crude is hitting new local highs on geopolitical news, Tesla has sealed a record-breaking battery deal, and Apple is facing a mass exodus of AI talent to Meta. In this weekly outlook, we cover the key market-moving events and strategies for those looking to capitalize on them.

Yen under pressure: BOJ meeting and political uncertainty ahead

In July, the Japanese currency came under heavy pressure. Following the parliamentary elections, the yen dropped to 147.91 against the dollar, its lowest level in months. Traders are now preparing for even further weakness this week as markets await fresh signals from the Bank of Japan. This report dives deep into BOJ expectations, analyst forecasts for the yen, and potential trading scenarios.

In recent months, the yen has shown the worst performance among all major global currencies. Since April, it has lost more than 5%. After Japan's recent parliamentary elections, the currency broke below the 147.91 mark, hitting a six-month low against the dollar.

Now, markets are focused on Thursday's Bank of Japan meeting. Most analysts agree that the BOJ is unlikely to raise interest rates this time. In addition, Governor Kazuo Ueda is expected to stick to cautious rhetoric and avoid hawkish statements about further tightening.

The reason is clear: amid political instability, the pressure of new US tariffs, and weak inflation prospects, any hasty moves could worsen Japan's already fragile economic outlook. This cautious tone is putting additional pressure on the yen, increasing the likelihood of new lows against the dollar in the near future.

The yen's short-term outlook is further complicated by other factors. After the elections, the government's position remains unstable. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba may be forced to resort to populist measures to maintain power, including expanded fiscal spending and potential tax breaks, which analysts say could further weaken the yen.

The possibility of a leadership change, pressure from the opposition, and the risk of early elections only add to the uncertainty surrounding Japan's domestic policy.

Against this backdrop, most analyst forecasts for the yen remain bearish. For instance, Barclays suggests that if the Japanese government ramps up stimulus, the USD/JPY pair could break above the 150 level in the coming weeks.

For traders, this environment favors strategies that capitalize on yen weakness — such as short-term and medium-term short positions against the dollar, with profit-taking during volatility and careful risk management.

Brent surges above $72: Trump's ultimatum and geopolitical risks push oil to new highs

The global oil market is once again at the center of geopolitical drama. Following strong remarks from Donald Trump about potential new sanctions on Russia, Brent crude made its sharpest jump in a month and a half, surging past $72 per barrel. Below, you'll find expert insights, near-term forecasts, and trading tips for those active in the oil market.

On Tuesday, Brent gained over 3.5%, closing confidently at $72.44 per barrel — the highest since June 20. The main trigger was a fresh round of threats from the US President. Trump gave Moscow a 10-day deadline to reach a truce with Ukraine, warning of "tariffs and other economic measures" if talks fail.

Tesla signs $4.3 billion deal with LG Energy Solution

Tesla surprises the market once again: the company has signed a $4.3 billion contract with LG Energy Solution for the supply of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries — the largest deal of its kind in recent years. In this article, we'll break down the details of the agreement, explain why Elon Musk is betting on LFP batteries, examine the market reaction, and explore what this means for competitors. At the end, you'll find a forecast for Tesla and trading recommendations for those looking to profit from the next phase of the tech race.

Tesla is once again making global headlines: Elon Musk's company has signed a strategically significant $4.3 billion contract with LG Energy Solution, securing long-term supplies of LFP batteries for energy storage systems. This move is a logical extension of Tesla's expansion beyond traditional automotive operations and a clear signal of how quickly the company is adapting to global industrial shifts.

The deal focuses specifically on energy storage batteries, not EVs. Production at LG Energy Solution's US facilities — including new and under-construction plants in Michigan and Tennessee — will now supply Tesla with in-demand LFP battery systems. The contract begins in August 2027, lasts for at least three years, and includes an option for a seven-year extension. As always, Musk is thinking long-term, anticipating the growing global demand for energy storage solutions.

Importantly, Tesla and its partners are laying the groundwork for a new era in American energy, leveraging pro-domestic manufacturing policies. LFP batteries — the centerpiece of this substantial deal — have already proven themselves to be reliable, affordable, and efficient. Their cost and performance advantages make them ideal for large-scale projects across various climate zones — exactly what's needed for the development of green energy and modernization of energy infrastructure.

In recent months, Tesla has been actively diversifying its supply base and securing deals with key industry players. Alongside this, the LG Energy Solution agreement is a multibillion-dollar contract with Samsung Electronics for AI chips for next-gen EVs. Clearly, Tesla isn't just responding to industry trends — it's creating them, securing manufacturing capacity and reinforcing its position in strategic sectors.

This comes amid a major global restructuring of supply chains and fierce competition from Chinese battery manufacturers, who still lead in production volume. But with these new partnerships, Tesla and its allies are building a solid US-based foundation for growth. Analysts widely agree: the global LFP battery market is set for rapid expansion, and the shift to clean energy will be impossible without such technologies.

For traders, this deal is a call to action. Tesla's large long-term contracts not only strengthen its position in the fast-growing energy storage sector but also promise new revenue streams in the near future. The optimal strategy now is to use market pullbacks to build positions in Tesla stock and closely monitor the company's next moves. Deals like this set long-term trends — and those who enter at attractive levels could ride the wave of the new energy revolution.

Brain drain at Apple: Meta poaches fourth AI researcher in one month

Apple is facing serious talent losses: in just one month, four leading AI researchers have left the company — all lured away by Meta and its superintelligence team. For Cupertino, this is more than just bad news. The departure of key experts could significantly impact Apple's future in AI development. In this section, we'll look at the reasons behind the exodus, the potential consequences for Apple, and the trading opportunities this opens up.

Last week, Apple lost another key player — Bowen Zhang, a top researcher in multimodal AI and a core member of the Apple Foundation Models (AFM) team, which underpins the company's entire AI platform.

Zhang is the fourth AI specialist to join Meta in just a month. He follows Ruoming Peng (former head of AFM), Tom Gunter, and Mark Lee. Notably, Meta is not just offering enticing job opportunities — it's backing them with compensation packages worth hundreds of millions of dollars, far outpacing anything Apple currently offers.

The fallout is already being felt: the AFM team is now in a state of internal crisis, and its future is uncertain. Core engineers are openly seeking new offers, while Apple's leadership scrambles to retain talent through selective pay raises. However, the scale of the departures has already undermined morale and confidence. Several employees have moved to startups, casting further doubt on the future of Apple Intelligence, the company's own AI platform.

Interestingly, these developments have sparked internal debate about Apple's AI strategy. Some leaders now view the company's reliance on in-house models as a bottleneck to real innovation. Unsurprisingly, Apple is reportedly exploring the idea of abandoning its proprietary AI models in favor of integrating third-party solutions like OpenAI's ChatGPT or Anthropic's Claude — both of which are being considered as potential engines for future versions of Siri.

At the same time, Apple is still developing its own cloud-based AI module. But it currently lags behind rivals in terms of scale — Apple's model has 150 billion parameters compared to the trillion-plus parameters of market leaders. The company's focus remains on on-device processing to preserve user privacy — Apple's hallmark feature, but also a technical limitation. Mobile chips simply can't compete with data center-scale AI from OpenAI or Meta.

While the market watches Apple's restructuring with interest, Meta continues its aggressive talent acquisition strategy, offering deals that are hard for even loyal Apple employees to refuse. Unsurprisingly, Apple's shares fell 1.5% amid the talent shuffle and will likely remain volatile as uncertainty within the AFM team continues and the company weighs its strategic options.

This situation highlights the strategic crisis Apple faces in AI: key personnel are leaving, the future of its proprietary platform is unclear, and competition from Meta is intensifying. For traders, this may lead to short-term volatility and continued pressure on Apple shares due to headline risks. A sound strategy could be to look for entry points after corrections, or to use the current developments for short-term speculative trades on the downside.

At the same time, Meta, which is strengthening its AI market position and attracting top talent, could gain fresh momentum in both market cap and technological leadership.

If you want to respond quickly to market shifts and profit from tech sector dynamics, now is the time to open an account with InstaTrade, install our mobile app, and stay one step ahead of the market!