Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

According to KOMIS citing London Metal Exchange data, copper hit record highs on August 21, entering a consolidation phase after the recent surge. Despite short-term profit-taking and large inflows easing the rally, structural supply shortages remain persistent, suggesting the uptrend will

According to Barron's, Micron Technology announced on Thursday that it will invest $10 billion over the next 10 years to establish a research institution aimed at addressing memory supply chain bottlenecks. The Micron Research Labs will bring together academia, government, chip manufacturers, and

Kwon Min-soo began his three-year term as Bank of Korea Deputy Governor, according to the central bank. Kwon brings over 30 years of BOK experience specializing in foreign exchange and international finance. The appointment places a career central banker with direct crisis management experience

According to Jin10, Samsung Electronics will announce a new shareholder return plan worth 110 trillion Korean won ($79 billion) on Friday, August 21. The company's board of directors will meet after South Korean markets close at around 4 p.m. local time, with plan details to be disclosed shortly

According to the Bank of Korea, Kwon Min-soo took office as deputy governor on August 21, serving a three-year term. Kwon brings over 30 years of experience in foreign exchange and international finance, having worked through the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the 2008 global financial crisis, and the

According to South Korea's customs data, exports grew 56.0% year-on-year and imports rose 19.0% year-on-year during August 1-20, 2026. The country recorded a trade surplus of $13.98 billion for the period.

According to Bitget data, on August 21, Japan's Nikkei 225 index and South Korea's KOSPI index both opened down over 1%.

The Nikkei 225 Index opened down 639.56 points on Friday, August 21, representing a 0.97% decline. The index opened at 65,577.23 points.

According to Bitcoin News, Bitcoin spot ETF trading volume hit $5.3 billion today (August 21), with BlackRock accounting for 83.5% of total volume.

South Korean industries face intensifying competition from Chinese manufacturers across semiconductors and secondary batteries, with China's CXMT securing the global fourth-largest share in commodity DRAM markets. South Korea imports 97% of its anhydrous hydrogen fluoride from China, while Chinese c

KB Securities completed a $300 million Eurobond (RegS) issuance the previous day, marking its return to public Korean Paper markets since 2021. The securities firm priced the 3-year fixed-rate tranche at 85 basis points over equivalent-maturity US Treasuries, tightening from an initial price

South Korean stocks are forecast to continue their rebound trend based on improved fundamentals and undervaluation appeal, according to a Daishin Securities report released on the 21st, as the KOSPI closed at 6,852.58 on the 20th, up 5.89% from the previous trading day. The brokerage cited easing co

According to Yonhapinfomax, China has secured dominant control over critical raw materials essential to Korea's semiconductor and battery industries, intensifying supply chain competition. China accounts for approximately 97% of anhydrous hydrogen fluoride, 70-80% of refined lithium and precursor ca

According to CNBC on August 20, Wells Fargo analyst Stan Berensztein issued an Overweight rating for fertility and family-building benefits company Progyny Inc (NASDAQ: PGNY) with a $37 target price. Berensztein highlighted that Progyny is positioned at the center of demographic shifts

According to investment banking sources, KB Securities successfully issued a $300 million Reg S euro bond overnight on August 19, marking its first public dollar debt offering since 2021. The three-year fixed-rate tranche was priced at 85 basis points over comparable U.S. Treasury rates, down from i

Retail investors in single-stock leveraged exchange-traded funds (ETFs) net sold 93.6 billion won worth of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix leveraged products on the 20th, as both Korean stocks surged nearly 10% and over 12% respectively. The profit-taking move came as trading volume for 16 single-s

KB Securities projected on the 21st that Samsung Electronics' operating profit will reach 381 trillion won this year and 575 trillion won next year. The securities firm estimates the company's special dividend could exceed 100 trillion won under its 2024-2026 shareholder return policy, which

According to Financial News citing data from Yonhap Infomax, single-stock leveraged ETF trading volume reached 1.0574 trillion Korean won on August 20, up 35.2% from 781.6 billion won the previous day, marking a return above the 1 trillion won threshold. Samsung Electronics surged 9.49% while SK

According to Jin10, Iranian officials announced plans on August 21 to target key petroleum export routes in the Persian Gulf, including Saudi Arabia's Yanbu pipeline and the UAE's Fujairah port, ahead of the U.S. midterm elections in November. The two facilities collectively process

According to BlockBeats, the U.S. stock market closed lower on Thursday, August 21, with the Dow Jones down 1.3%, S&P 500 down 0.86%, and Nasdaq down 1%. Cryptocurrency-related stocks rallied, with Microstrategy (MSTR) up 7.81%, Coinbase (COIN) up 7.58%, Bit Digital (BMNR) up 6.62%, Circle (CRCL) u