Here are 5 important things happening in tech around the world today.
Sasol has reported a significant profit jump on the back of rising oil prices due to the conflict in Iran, with production at its Secunda synthetic-fuel hub reaching a 5-year high.
Alphabet-owned Google has increased the price of the Google TV Streamer by 50%, while its Nest smart security products have also received price hikes.
In global markets, bonds fell, pushing yields to multi-decade highs, as concerns over quicker inflation boosted bets on a Federal Reserve interest-rate hike this month.
Oil climbed as geopolitical tensions flared. The Treasury 10-year yield climbed three basis points to 4.78%, the highest level since January 2025.
Japan’s 10-year yield touched 3% for the first time since 1996, while its Australian counterpart hit the highest level since 2011.
The yield on a Bloomberg gauge of global government debt advanced for a fourth day on Monday, rising to 3.72%, the highest since mid-2008.
Bond yields climbed as traders boosted the odds of a September Fed rate hike to 65%, according to data compiled by Bloomberg based on swaps.
The pricing was just 34% the day before Fed Chair Kevin Warsh spoke about reining in inflation at Jackson Hole on Friday.
Brent crude advanced 1.2% to about $91.55 a barrel as renewed fighting in the Middle East heightened inflation concerns.
Gold, which typically becomes less attractive as rates rise, headed for a third day of losses, falling 0.3% to about $4,425 an ounce.
While bond yields and oil prices are rising, there has been little spillover into the broader equity market. MSCI’s Asia Pacific equities gauge rose 0.3%, led by Taiwan.
MediaTek shares jumped 9.9% in Taipei trading after Nvidia Corp. said it’s investing $3.5 billion in the chipmaker.
Investors are demanding greater compensation to hold bonds after years of heavy government spending, persistent inflation and a surge in corporate borrowing to finance the artificial-intelligence buildout.
Warsh’s tough stance on price pressures has put added focus on this week’s US payrolls report for its potential impact on the interest-rate outlook.
“Investors are beginning to reassess what neutral policy rates look like and there has been a gradual increase in those,” Idanna Appio, a portfolio manager and senior research analyst at First Eagle Investments, said on Bloomberg Television.
“You have just a demand-supply mismatch in the fixed-income market,” she said. “Just a lot of supply coming out of US corporate sector and much more expected associated with the hyperscalers.”
Regarding cryptocurrency movements, Bitcoin fell 0.2% to $78,721.01 (R1,268,364), while Ether also fell 0.2% to $2,468.88 (R39,779). [Bloomberg]
Sasol reports profit boost: Sasol has reported 17% profit growth, with adjusted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) reaching R60.7 billion for the year ended June 2026. Its earnings. This has been boosted by higher oil prices on the back of the conflict in Iran. Production at the Secunda synthetic-fuel hub reached a 5-year high. [Bloomberg]
**Google raises TV and Nest prices: **Google has increased prices across its hardware lineup. The price of the Google TV streaming device is increasing from $99 (R1,595) to $149 (R2,401) due to rising component costs. Google has also increased prices across its Nest smart security range, with most cameras and doorbells increasing by around 11%. [Digital Trends]
Apple’s legal battle against OpenAI heats up: Apple has submitted new evidence in its trade-secret lawsuit against OpenAI. It has accused former engineer Chang Liu of downloading confidential files and using an Apple circuit schematic in his work at OpenAI. It also alleges that Liu used proprietary Apple engineering tools and tried to erase forensic evidence after learning of the investigation. OpenAI has denied any wrongdoing. [Engadget]
Instagram reworks AI-generated profile label: Instagram is replacing the “AI creator” label with an “AI-generated profile” label to make it clear when an account features a fictional, AI-generated individual. Unlabelled profiles may face reduced reach and engagement. [Android Central]
**Apple accelerates Mac launch schedule on the back of strong AI demand: **Apple has reportedly accelerated its Mac launch schedule. This comes after the company was surprised by the strong business and developer demand for Mac Studio and Mac mini systems to run AI models. The Cupertino-based tech giant has promoted linking multiple Mac Studios for AI workloads. [MacRumors]
