Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

According to Yonhapinfomax CP and short-term bond issuance statistics, 23 securities firms in South Korea issued a combined 7.66 trillion won in commercial paper (CP) and electronic short-term bonds during the week of August 10-14. Hana

According to CNBC, on August 17, James Bullard, former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, said now is a good time for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates despite inflation remaining elevated alongside a resilient U.S. economy. Bullard, currently dean of Purdue's Krannert

According to Hana Securities, on August 18, the South Korean brokerage firm expects foreign investor inflows into domestic equities as U.S. manufacturing expands and inflation declines simultaneously, driving dollar weakness. The firm recommends overweighting sectors with lower foreign

According to U.S. Treasury Department data released on August 18, Japan, the UK, and China each reduced their holdings of U.S. Treasury securities in June. Japan held $1.117 trillion in U.S. Treasuries, down $26.4 billion from May; the UK held $939.9 billion, down $8.7 billion; and China held $633.4

Hana Securities on the 18th raised its target stock price for SK to 770,000 won from 560,000 won, a 37.5% increase, while maintaining a 'buy' investment opinion. Analyst Choi Jung-wook attributed the upward revision to rising equity values of major subsidiaries following their stock price

KOSDAQ-listed company Syswalk entered liquidation trading on the 13th, nearly one year after Korea Exchange's KOSDAQ Market Division announced the liquidation trading commencement on September 23 last year. The extended timeline resulted from the company filing an injunction application to suspend t

According to Hana Securities, the brokerage raised its price target for SK on August 18 to 770,000 won from 560,000 won, representing a 37.5% increase. The upgrade reflects improved valuations of major subsidiaries, particularly SK Hynix and SK Innovation, driven by strong operating earnings. SK's s

According to Korea Exchange, SysWorks began liquidation trading on August 13 after a 323-day legal suspension challenge. The company filed for injunctive relief on September 22, 2025, three days after the exchange announced delisting procedures. The suspension was dismissed on August 10,

According to New York Stock Exchange data, on August 17, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 272.63 points, or 0.51%, to 53,459.78, while the S&P 500 declined 0.52% on growing geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran and concerns over rising crude oil

Samsung Electronics and SK hynix invested a combined 45.6 trillion won in facilities and equipment during the first half, according to their semi-annual reports. Samsung allocated 27.9 trillion won with over 90% directed to its Device Solutions (DS) semiconductor division, while SK hynix invested 17

Korean securities firms displayed inconsistent Total Shareholder Return (TSR) calculations in semi-annual reports starting June 2026. Major brokerages including Kiwoom Securities and Samsung Securities left TSR fields blank, citing undetermined dividend amounts for the current fiscal year. Other fir

Samsung Electro-Mechanics received $540 million in advance payments related to long-term supply agreements as of the end of June, according to a semi-annual report filed with Korea's Financial Supervisory Service on August 18. The amount represents an 8.2% increase from $499 million recorded at the

On August 17, memory semiconductor-related stocks surged across major Asian markets. Kioxia Holdings and other NAND flash manufacturers led the rally in Tokyo and Taiwan exchanges while South Korean markets were closed for a

According to their first-half earnings reports released on August 18, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix invested a combined 45.58 trillion won in capital expenditures during the first half of 2026, with over 95% directed to semiconductor expansion. Samsung's Device Solutions (DS) division invested 2

According to Samsung Electro-Mechanics' semiannual report filed on August 18, the company's advance payments from long-term supply contracts rose to $540 million as of end-June, up 8.2% year-over-year from $499 million. Samsung Electro-Mechanics signed MLCC long-term agreements with

According to the Wall Street Journal, hyperscale tech companies have accumulated approximately $3 trillion in off-balance-sheet capital commitments beyond their reported spending. Over the past year, these firms disclosed roughly $600 billion in capex, but unrecorded contractual obligations for

According to Business Insider, U.S. President Trump conducted 21,000 financial trades in 2025, generating over $2 billion in income, including $1 billion from cryptocurrency. The Trump Organization indicated the trades were executed through automated methods. Financial advisors noted Trump may be ad

According to Zhi Tong Finance, on August 18, HSI August futures closed at 25,355 points, down 68 points or 0.267%, trading at a 98-point discount. Outstanding open contracts totaled 108,084 lots, down 9,654 lots, while net open interest fell to 29,481 lots from 31,439 lots.

BHP Billiton reported full-year net profit of $9.83 billion, falling short of analyst expectations of $10.95 billion. The mining company's underlying earnings reached $13.2 billion, exceeding analyst forecasts of $12.69 billion. Capital and exploration spending totaled $10.26 billion for the full ye

CNBC's Jim Cramer said Monday the AI boom has rewritten the rules for memory stocks and their massive rallies may not be over. The Mad Money host highlighted that Sandisk has surged 653% this year, Seagate has jumped 261%, Micron has gained 254%, and Western Digital has climbed 211%. Cramer