Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

South Korean ETF investors directed record inflows to US index funds and money market products over the past month, yet the highest returns came from domestic KOSDAQ technology and semiconductor stocks. According to ETF CHECK data released on the 4th, the top fund inflow recipient was KODEX Money

According to Korea Exchange data released October 4, KOSDAQ-focused exchange-traded funds delivered outsized gains over the past month, with top performers rallying 26-32%, while the vast majority of investor inflows—about 5.35 trillion Korean won—flowed into money market and U.S. equity index

On October 2, U.S. 10-year Treasury yields closed up 2.99 basis points at 5.2706%, then spiked down to 5.1528% following the non-farm payroll data release at 20:30 Beijing time, marking a V-shaped intraday reversal. Two-year Treasury yields rose 3.12 basis points to close at 4.8247%, diving to 4.69

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, September nonfarm payrolls increased by only 29,000 on October 2, significantly below the market expectation of 84,000, prompting investors to reassess Federal Reserve rate hike prospects. The CME FedWatch tool shows the probability of at least a 25 basis p

Micron announced plans to invest $25 billion in capital expenditures in the first half of fiscal year 2027, with further increases expected in the second half. The company simultaneously disclosed record fourth-quarter revenue of $54.23 billion, nearly five times the same period last year. Despite t

According to Reuters, Micron announced on October 4 that it will invest $25 billion in capital expenditures during the first half of fiscal 2027, with additional increases planned for the second half. The company's Q4 revenue reached a record $54.23 billion, nearly five times the prior year

South Korea's top three exchange-traded funds by returns in Q3 were all inverse 2X products betting against the US dollar, according to Korea Exchange data covering June 1 to September 30. KODEX 미국달러선물인버스2X led with a 22.76% gain, followed by TIGER 미국달러선물인버스2X at 22.49% and KIWOOM 미국달러선물인버스2X at 22.

Three inverse leveraged US dollar ETFs dominated South Korea's exchange-traded fund performance rankings during the third quarter, with KODEX US Dollar Futures Inverse 2X leading at 22.76% returns from June 1 to September 30. The won strengthened

According to the Korea Exchange, inverse U.S. dollar ETFs dominated Q3 performance in South Korea's listed fund markets, with the top three gainers all betting on dollar weakness. KODEX U.S. Dollar Futures Inverse 2X rose 22.76% from June 1 through September 30, followed by TIGER U.S. Dollar Futures

Korean securities firms issued over 80% buy recommendations in research reports covering the period from July last year to June this year, according to data submitted to National Assembly member Ahn Cheol-soo's office by the Korea Financial Investment Association on the 4th. Four firms — Nextus

South Korea's National Pension Service KOSDAQ investment surpassed 100 trillion won by the end of 2025, reaching 106.2164 trillion won according to data submitted to lawmaker Park Min-gyu of the Democratic Party. The KOSDAQ allocation rose from 3.9% in 2021 to 40.6% in 2025 within the pension's

Foreign investors net sold 20.3 trillion won in the KOSPI market over 22 trading days from '지난달 1일' to '이달 2일', according to Korea Exchange and Yonhap Infomax data released on '4일'. The selling was driven by profit-taking after first-half semiconductor stock rallies, prolonged US-Iran tensions, and

South Korea's inclusion in the World Government Bond Index (WGBI) is set to conclude in November, with foreign investors having net purchased approximately 42 trillion won in Korean Treasury bonds from March 30 to October 2. The phased inclusion process, which began in April, has seen consistent

According to Korea Exchange, KOSPI recorded a return of -19.33% in the third quarter of 2026, ranking last among 20 major global stock indices surveyed. The decline contrasted sharply with gains posted by peers: Brazil's Bovespa rose 8.32%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 7.57%, and the Nasdaq and S&P

According to Yonhapnews on Oct 2, South Korea's KOSPI closed at 7,003.74, down 1.09% for the week, as elevated U.S. Treasury yields pressured risk assets. The index dropped 2.70% early in the week to the 6,800 range before recovering slightly on strong U.S. corporate earnings and mixed U.S. jobs

According to the Financial Investment Association's data reported on October 4, South Korean brokerages issued buy recommendations for over 80% of their research reports during the July 2025-June 2026 period. Four firms—Nexst Securities, Bookook Securities, Yuhwa Securities, and Hanyang Securities—i

According to Financial News, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix fell sharply on October 2, with Samsung down 26% from its year-to-date high of 374,500 won to 276,000 won, and SK Hynix declining 38% from 2.987 million won to 1.841 million won. Foreign investors drove the selloff, with net outflows of 2

According to data presented by Democratic Party lawmaker Park Min-gyu, South Korea's National Pension Service invested 106.2 trillion won in Kosdaq last year (end of 2025), surpassing 100 trillion won for the first time. The Kosdaq allocation jumped from 3.9% of combined Kospi-Kosdaq holdings in 202

According to Korea Exchange and Yonhap Infomax, over the past month through October 2, foreign investors recorded net sales of 20.305 trillion won in South Korea's KOSPI market. SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics were the most heavily sold stocks, with foreign ownership stakes falling to 49.76% and 46