Global stock markets suffered a notable setback yesterday, with shares in the chip and semiconductor sectors declining significantly. Both the Nikkei 225 Index and the Shanghai Composite Index recorded marked declines. A-share index bottomed out at 2700 points. As China's July Consumer Price Index (CPI) performance fell short of market expectations, the cooling of financial markets continued. London Metal Exchange copper surged and then retreated during the day, reaching a high of USD 9,143 per tonne in the afternoon before falling back to around USD 9,050 per tonne.