Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

According to the Bank of Korea on September 18, South Korea's public sector deficit in 2025 reached 83.1 trillion Korean won, marking the highest level since 2007 and expanding from 69.1 trillion won the previous year. The increase was driven by government spending outpacing revenue growth,

According to Jin10, on September 18, the Bank of Japan raised rates by 25 basis points as expected, but the yen declined afterward. Following the U.S. Federal Reserve's hawkish rate hike earlier this week, the yen has remained under pressure. Strategists suggest that if investors perceive the BoJ's

According to Barclays, the Bank of England is expected to raise rates by 25 basis points in November and by another 25 basis points in February 2027.

China's fertilizer exports fell to 2.86 million tons in August, down 43.9% year-over-year. For the January-August period, cumulative fertilizer exports totaled 21.32 million tons, representing a 23.7% decline compared to the same period last year.

China exported 10,822 tons of rare earth and rare earth products in August, down 17.6% year-over-year. For the first eight months of 2026, cumulative rare earth exports reached 87,682 tons, up 3.2% compared to the same period last year.

Joe Townsend, CEO of New Zealand Superannuation Fund, warned of potential US stock market corrections in the fund's fiscal year 2026 performance report. According to CNBC on the 16th local time, Townsend stated that recent years' US stock returns have reached nearly double the 20-year average

According to Jin10, the Bank of Japan raised rates by 25 basis points on September 18, causing the yen to weaken against major currencies. USD/JPY jumped over 70 points, EUR/JPY surged over 80 points, GBP/JPY climbed over 90 points, AUD/JPY rose over 50 points, CAD/JPY increased over 50 points,

According to Guangdeshi Futures, U.S. initial jobless claims fell to 196,000 overnight, the lowest level since 1969, while the Federal Reserve raised interest rates in September and signaled further hikes possible through year-end. Continuing jobless claims also hit a 14-month low at 1.73 million. A

China imported 320,000 tons of corn and corn flour in August, up 784% year-on-year, with cumulative imports reaching 1.68 million tons in the first eight months of 2026, up 91.1%, according to trade data. Wheat imports remained steady at 260,000 tons in August, up 13.4% year-on-year, while sugar imp

South Korean stocks surged on September 18, with the KOSPI index opening 2.54% higher at 6885.70 and trading at 6874.38 (+2.37%) as of 9:28 AM, following a rebound in US markets despite the Federal Reserve's rate hike. The rally came after US indices posted strong gains on September 17, with the

According to CNBC, on September 16, New Zealand Super Fund CEO Joe Townsend warned that recent U.S. stock returns are nearly double the 20-year average and will revert to long-term levels. The fund lowered its long-term annual return forecast to 7.2% from 7.8%. The NZ Super Fund manages $94

According to Jin10 Futures on September 18, global diesel and jet fuel crack spreads have surged to historic highs, though domestic Chinese refineries remain split between winners and losers. Analysts warn that elevated spreads are unlikely to persist; once they normalize, refineries without

FSC Chairman Lee Eok-won on September 18 announced plans to strengthen the long-term supply base for Korean stocks and refine volatility mitigation mechanisms for market emergencies. Lee stated the goal is to improve capital market fundamentals while expanding market dynamism and resolving

Samsung Electro-Mechanics, Doosan, and Korea Electric Power received updated analyst coverage on the morning of September 18, with securities firms revising price targets and earnings outlooks based on diverging operational trends. KB Securities maintained a 3 million won target for Samsung Electro-

Korea Investment & Securities stated on the 18th that food sector stocks with overseas exposure entered consolidation but retain re-rating potential. Analyst Choi Go-woon noted won appreciation this month pressured such stocks, though fundamental business strength remains intact. The report

Lotte Non-Life Insurance subordinated bonds paid 680 million won in interest on September 17 despite an active payment suspension order, according to Korea Securities Depository (KSD) records. The payment covered the third issuance of 40 billion won subordinated bonds issued in December 2021, with a

Individual investors in South Korea's stock market purchased 2,567 billion won worth of KODEX Leverage ETF during the week of September 10-17, marking the highest net purchase among all listed ETFs, as the KOSPI index recovered to 6853.85 on September 18 following a 2.06% rise. The buying spree

On September 18, South Korea's Deputy Prime Minister Koo Hyon-chul announced a fuel price reduction of 100 won per liter at gas stations on the nation's highways during the Chuseok holiday period (September 24-27). The measure covers 226 service stations operated by the Korea Expressway

JPMorgan analyst Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou and his team said in their latest report that short positions in BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) remain at one of the highest levels of the year, while short positions in the SPDR Gold ETF are below their historical average. This divergence shows that Bitcoin’s overall positioning environment is currently more cautious than gold’s, possibly due to greater hedging demand. Debasement Trade Stalls: Bitcoin ETF Inflows Recover Only 50%, While Gol

According to Koscom ETF Check, nine SpaceX-related ETFs listed in South Korea saw 370 billion won in net inflows over the past month as of September 18, despite recording losses of 37.52% to 20.40% over the past three months. The funds have declined roughly 30% from their post-listing highs, yet