Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

According to Yonhapinfomax, on July 16, U.S. producer price inflation data weakened the dollar, with June PPI falling 0.3% month-over-month, below market expectations. Seoul foreign exchange dealers forecast the USD/KRW exchange rate could decline to the 1,480-won level as inflation concerns ease.

According to industry sources, POSCO repaid approximately $358 million of its dollar-denominated bonds on July 15 through a debt tender offer, ahead of the original 2028 maturity. The 5.75% fixed-rate bonds, issued in 2023 with a total issue size of $1 billion, were redeemed about 18 months early. T

According to NYDIG research cited by ChainCatcher, Bitcoin fell 13.4% in the second quarter of 2026, outpacing a 27.7% gain in the Nasdaq 100. Microstrategy's introduction of a "Digital Credit Capital Framework" authorizing the sale of approximately $1.25 billion in Bitcoin to cover capital

Larry Fink, CEO of Blackrock, stated in a July 15 CNBC interview that he is bullish on markets over the next 12 months, citing technology-driven productivity and margin expansion as key drivers. Fink attributed his outlook to companies using technology to reduce operating costs and generate

According to KB Financial Group, on July 15, the company established the KB AX Digital Asset Fund with a 100 billion won (approximately $77 million) scale. The fund aims to advance digital asset business and accelerate artificial intelligence transformation across the group. Major KB subsidiaries in

According to Bitget market data, Alibaba surged over 5% on July 16, leading gains in the Hang Seng Tech Index, which rose over 2%. The Hang Seng Index climbed 1.77% during the session.

According to ChainCatcher and The Wall Street Journal, the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) began live production trading of tokenized stocks and U.S. Treasuries on Wednesday, advancing its tokenization work from testing to actual operations. Nearly 40 financial institutions and

Natixis’ U.S. chief economist, Hodge, said that for the remainder of 2026, the Fed will prioritize inflation, but will not immediately pivot, with expectations that the pause will be extended. If the next two CPI prints come in above expectations, Warsh’s hawkish stance may be forced to raise rates. He emphasized that housing carries about 35% weight in the CPI, while wage growth is 3%–3.5%, which should help move toward the inflation target of 2% . At the same time, global de-dollarization and increased gold buying are driven mainly by uncertainty around U.S. policies.

According to Jefferies' latest semiconductor equipment report, the firm revises upward its global wafer fab equipment (WFE) market outlook, estimating the market to reach $152 billion in 2026, $200 billion in 2027, and $252 billion in 2028—a 66% growth rate from 2026 to 2028. If AI investments

According to BlockBeats, on July 16, the Bank of Korea signaled that uncertainties persist across three areas: the semiconductor industry, developments in the Middle East, and changes in the trade environment.

The Hang Seng Index opened 0.58% higher on July 16, while the Hang Seng Tech Index gained 0.15%. The semiconductor sector faced headwinds, with Zhaojiyun Innovation and Lansun Technology declining nearly 6% each, while Huahong Semiconductor fell over 3% and SMIC retreated over 2%. The news source i

According to The Washington Post, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent officially announced on July 15 that the U.S. Mint is set to produce a $1 gold-toned commemorative coin featuring a portrait of current President Trump on the obverse, to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary of nationhood (1776–2026). The Wall Street Journal clarified that the coin does not contain gold; its material is manganese brass, and its design is gold-colored. Coin design details: “1776–2026” and Trump’s portrai

According to the Bank of Korea, the country's core inflation rate this year is expected to be slightly higher than the previously forecasted 2.4%.

The Korea Exchange triggered a selling-side circuit breaker for the KOSDAQ market at 10:20 a.m. on July 16 following a rate hike decision by the Bank of Korea's Monetary Policy Committee. The circuit breaker was the ninth selling-side halt on KOSDAQ this year and the 21st overall circuit breaker (in

According to BNP, Arista Networks (ANET), Seagate Technology (STX), and Astera Labs (ALAB) have been identified as top investment ideas for the AI semiconductor and networking supply chain into 2027. BNP raised price targets for the three companies and provided 2028 earnings

Gene Munster of Deepwater assessed AI stocks as "tired" rather than "broken," noting that AI infrastructure fundamentals remain strong. The analyst flagged potential upside from capital expenditure trends and upcoming key earnings

The Bank of Korea approved its interest rate decision by unanimous vote on Thursday, according to an official statement from the central bank.

According to UBS, the S&P 500 is forecast to reach 7,900 by the end of 2026, driven by corporate earnings growth and accelerating AI monetization across sectors.

Bitcoin (BTC) gives back its overnight gains, trading around $64,440 as of July 16. Trump will attend a key meeting on Thursday at the White House regarding the ethics provisions of the “CLARITY Act,” aimed at addressing lawmakers’ concerns about Trump and his family’s crypto businesses. Japan’s parliament approved legislation that reclassifies Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as financial assets, marking a major regulatory shift. Macro Events & Crypto Market Hotspots 1、According to The Block,

On July 16, Aehr Test Systems (AEHR) surged 40% as the company posted record bookings driven by robust AI data center demand, with its backlog ballooning to new highs. The surge came alongside an upbeat FY27 revenue outlook, prompting analysts to raise price targets on the semiconductor test