Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

According to trading sources and shipping data on August 18, Saudi Aramco resumed crude oil loading in the Strait of Hormuz last week following weeks of suspension due to tanker attacks during the U.S.-Iran escalation in July. Between August 12 and 16, three very large crude carriers

Kraken launched US stock trading for eligible customers across the European Economic Area, expanding its equities business beyond the US. The launch follows a recent limited rollout in Germany, the Netherlands and France, with a spokesperson confirming the service has been rolling out in recent

According to CoinGecko, Bitcoin traded at $64,246 on August 18 despite renewed inflows into U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs, remaining stuck within the $62,000-$65,000 range. U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF saw $865.3 million in net inflows from August 3-7, followed by outflows of $248.4 million from August 12-14.

According to E Daily, on August 18, South Korea's semiconductor sector dominated both the KOSPI and KOSDAQ exchanges. The four major KOSPI semiconductor companies—Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, Samsung Electro-Mechanics, and SK Square—added 29 trillion Korean won to their combined market

According to Chosun Biz Money Move, Kosdaq-listed company Finger announced on August 18 its plan to divest its financial data subsidiary Fintech. The investment banking industry confirmed the divestiture is in progress, following Finger's sale of Finger Asset Management in

According to Spain's Ministry of Economy, Spain posted a trade deficit of €7.69 billion in June.

According to Bloomberg, on Monday, the Amara fuel tanker repeatedly turned back near Iran's Qeshm Island while attempting to enter the Persian Gulf. Ship tracking data showed the vessel made at least five turnarounds after entering the gulf empty-loaded, with its transponder active throughout. The t

Pre-market on Wednesday (August 18), storage chip stocks declined broadly, with SanDisk down roughly 4%, Western Digital down about 4%, and Micron Technology and SK Hynix each down approximately 3%.

The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco released a report on the 17th (local time) estimating the current medium-term natural rate of interest at approximately 1.5%, concluding that monetary policy remains somewhat accommodative as the real federal funds rate falls below this natural rate

According to the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank, the bank released a medium-term natural interest rate assessment report on August 17 (local time). The report estimates the medium-term real natural rate of interest at approximately 1.5%. With the federal funds rate target at 3.5%-3.75% and

According to Herald Economy, TIGER KOSDAQ Active ETF, which launched on June 2, has surged 20% through August 14, outperforming the KOSDAQ index's 17% gain in the same period. Jung Won-taek, head of equity management at Mirae Asset Securities, told the media that KOSDAQ has confirmed its bottom,

According to The Block, Kraken has officially launched U.S. stock trading services for eligible users across all European Economic Area (EEA) member states. The service, which previously launched quietly in Germany, the Netherlands, and France, is now fully available throughout the EEA. Kraken

According to Chris Turner at ING, data released on Tuesday showed the UK labor market remains weak with subdued wage pressures, suggesting the Bank of England lacks momentum to raise rates this year, which could drive sterling lower. According to LSEG data, the currency market currently expects the

According to BitcoinTreasuries.NET, Japan's largest bank Mitsubishi UFJ increased its holdings in bitcoin treasury company Strategy by 53,430 shares valued at $5.1 million in the latest disclosure. The bank's total position in Strategy now stands at 360,613 shares worth approximately $35 million,

Pakistan's KSE-100 Index declined 1% today, closing at 178,694.90 points.

According to Baltic Exchange data, on Monday (August 17), very large crude carriers (VLCCs) on the Middle East-to-Asia route saw daily earnings surge to nearly $510,000, marking the highest level since late June. Amid ongoing supply chain tensions and persistent uncertainty in the Strait of

According to Korea Economic TV, biotech firm Ingenium Therapeutics listed on KOSDAQ on August 18, surging 13% after an intraday turnaround. The stock initially dropped 10% at open before rallying over 25%, closing at 13,000 Korean won against the public offering price of 12,000 won. The U.S.-based c

According to South Korean financial industry sources, Fidelity Asset Management, the world's third-largest asset manager, experienced significant outflows of 708 billion won from its Korean operations in the first half of 2026. The decline occurred despite strong local and overseas equity market per

According to SK Securities, South Korea's KOSPI 200 volatility index (VKOSPI) declined 20.3 points to 55.3 this month, signaling easing market swings after weeks of sharp rallies and sell-offs. Semiconductor stocks remain the primary market driver, while investors are watching for upcoming

According to Jin10, on August 18, the Japanese yen fell to two-week lows as concerns over rising U.S.-Iran tensions pushed oil prices higher, with USD/JPY surging to 159.77 intraday. Analysts at ING noted that lower foreign exchange volatility has driven increased carry trade demand, as investors