Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

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

According to BlockBeats, Pinduan Laser, a Chinese quantum-precision laser company, officially listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange STAR Board on August 18, with an IPO price of 186.88 yuan. The stock surged 516.44% on its debut, closing at 1,152 yuan. For investors holding one lot of 500 shares, fi

According to Jin10, on August 18, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) futures warehouse receipts on the Dalian Commodity Exchange declined by 7 lots to 120,984 from the previous trading day. Polyethylene futures receipts remained at 5,623 lots, polypropylene at 27,129 lots, ethylene glycol at 2,396 lots, and l

According to ECB Chief Economist Philip Lane, inflation is expected to remain around 3% for the remainder of 2026.

According to JPMorgan Chase research on August 17, chip manufacturers raised 2026 capital expenditures and WFE guidance in tandem. TSMC increased capex to $60-64 billion (+52%), Intel to $20 billion (+11%), and SK Hynix to 40 trillion Korean won (+45%). Tokyo Electron raised 2026 WFE outlook to $150

Ark Invest purchased 191,671 shares of Block Inc. across its Ark Innovation ETF and Ark Blockchain & Fintech Innovation ETF on Monday, following a 3.2% decline in Block's stock to $80.2. The acquisition totaled approximately $15.4 million. Block's stock dipped after recent market activity,

According to Ark Invest's latest disclosure, on Monday the investment firm purchased 191,671 shares of Block Inc (XYZ) across its Ark Innovation ETF (ARKK) and Ark Blockchain & Fintech Innovation ETF (ARKF) funds. Block's stock fell 3.2% on Thursday to close at $80.2, making Ark's acquisition