Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

According to SoSoValue, a financial data platform, US spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $3.8 billion in net inflows over the past three weeks, marking the longest consecutive period and largest inflow volume in 2026. The week ending

London Metal Exchange copper futures reached an all-time high today, breaking through $14,530 per ton with gains exceeding 1%. The rally reflects tightening supply-demand dynamics and tariff-driven trading flows in global copper

South Korea's Financial Supervisory Service requested a corrective filing from SK Innovation on the 4th, immediately suspending the company's securities filing for its merger with SK IE Technology. The regulatory action cited insufficient shareholder communication under new corporate restructuring g

According to Yonhapinfomax, South Korea's Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) halted SK Innovation's merger with SK ie Technology on September 4, demanding the company submit amended disclosures by December 4. The FSS cited missing or unclear disclosures of material matters relevant to investment de

According to investment banking sources, Shinhan Bank completed a €600 million covered bond issuance yesterday (September 7), marking its return to the European market after more than two years. The 3.5-year fixed-rate green covered bond was priced at 19 basis points above EUR mid-swap,

According to HSBC, on September 7, the bank downgraded its USD/KRW forecasts for end-2026 and mid-2027 from 1500 to 1320 and 1280 respectively, citing South Korea's record current account surplus. Asia FX Research Head Joey Chew noted that the annualized current account surplus reached $400

LS Securities downgraded Korea Electric Power Corporation's (KEPCO) target price to 48,000 won from 52,000 won, citing rising energy raw material costs driven by the prolonged Middle East conflict. The brokerage maintained its 'buy' rating despite lowering the target by 7.7%, representing 46.6%

Japan's second-quarter GDP deflator year-on-year final reading came in at 2.6%, meeting expectations and matching the prior quarter's figure.

According to LS Securities on September 8, Korea Electric Power (KEPCO) had its target price cut to 48,000 won from 52,000 won, a 7.7% reduction, as Middle East tensions push energy commodity prices higher. Dubai crude oil has surged past $100 per barrel, with liquefied natural gas and coal prices r

According to Goldman Sachs, Brent crude oil prices could surge above $120 per barrel if average daily oil production in the Gulf region remains 4 million barrels below pre-conflict levels in 2027.

Japan's private consumption posted zero growth in the second quarter on a seasonally adjusted quarterly basis, matching both the expected reading of 0.00% and the prior quarter's result.

JR Global REIT, currently undergoing court rehabilitation, announced on September 7 that it had terminated portions of its euro and dollar currency hedging contracts early, taking advantage of the sharp won appreciation. The early termination reduced the company's guarantee debt related to FX

According to Japanese trade statistics, Japan's trade deficit widened to 399.9 billion yen in July, compared with a deficit of 135.2 billion yen in June.

Japan's second quarter actual GDP quarter-on-quarter growth (QoQ) came in at 0.4% (final value), meeting market expectations of 0.40% and rising from 0.30% in the first quarter.

In August, Japan's bank loans (excluding trust accounts) grew 5.8% year-over-year, down from 5.9% in the previous month.

Japanese bank loans, including trust accounts, grew 5.4% year-over-year in August, unchanged from the previous month.

According to Yonhap Infomax, on September 8, JR Global REIT, undergoing corporate restructuring, early terminated euro and dollar hedging derivatives, reducing guaranteed debt obligations from 165 billion won to 44.3 billion won as of September 4. The company unwound approximately 410 million

According to Japan Ministry of Finance, the country's current account posted a surplus of 29,889 billion yen in July, surpassing the forecast of 28,980 billion yen and swinging from a deficit of 923 billion yen in

According to Goldman Sachs' Delta One desk chief Rich Privorotsky, OpenAI's new Astra model represents a significant breakthrough in AI capabilities. SoftBank, a major OpenAI investor, surged over 10% overnight following the announcement, while Oracle rose approximately 5.5%. Privorotsky noted

Korean Re achieved a 9.93% return on invested assets in the second quarter of 2026, up 3.4 percentage points from the previous quarter, driven by increased stock allocation and foreign exchange gains. The operating return excluding FX impact reached 7.1%, according to data from the Korea Insurance