Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

According to the Korea Exchange and KOSDAQ Association, net profit of KOSDAQ-listed companies surged 287% year-over-year in the first half of 2026 on a consolidated basis, with individual basis figures reaching 240%. However, rising debt levels have raised concerns about financial soundness among th

According to Korea Exchange data released August 19, net profit of KOSPI-listed companies surged 386.67 trillion won in the first half of 2026, up 333% year-over-year. Revenue reached 2.1 quadrillion won, up 28.84%, while operating profit climbed 254.15%. SK Haikuli led individual company

The Korean won surged past the 1,400 per U.S. dollar mark for the first time since October 2025, marking a significant strengthening of the currency amid ongoing economic developments.

Overnight SHIBOR (Shanghai Interbank Offered Rate) rose 2.0 basis points to 1.3810% on August 19. The 7-day SHIBOR increased 0.5 basis points to 1.3850%, while the 3-month rate held flat at 1.4300%.

According to South Korea's Korea Development Institute (KDI), the think tank raised its economic growth forecasts for 2026 and 2027 today. KDI now projects 2026 GDP growth at 3.2%, up from a previous forecast of 2.5%, and 2027 growth at 2.2%, up from 1.7%.

ISU Petasys, a Korean printed circuit board manufacturer, reported second-quarter revenue of 379.9 billion KRW and operating profit of 77.1 billion KRW, representing year-over-year increases of 57.4% and 83.3% respectively and exceeding market consensus by 4.9% and 2.7%. Multiple securities firms in

According to Bank of Korea, household credit grew 3.6% year-over-year as of end-June, unchanged from the growth rate recorded at end-March.

According to multiple brokerages on August 19, South Korean semiconductor substrate manufacturer Isupetax's 2027 operating profit estimate was raised 11.9% to 551 billion Korean won from 460.2 billion won. Meritz Securities, Kiwoom Securities, and Daol Investment upgraded forecasts following

Three companies that listed on the KOSDAQ in August—Delicious, K&S INC, and Ingeniaterapeutics—declined 2.18%, 3.17%, and 7% respectively as of 10:50 AM on the 19th, according to Korea Exchange data. Delicious closed below its IPO price on its first trading day, an unusual outcome in South Korea's p

According to Korea Exchange, three companies newly listed on South Korea's Kosdaq market in August—Delicious, KNS Inc., and Ingeniate Therapeutics—traded down 2.18%, 3.17%, and 7%, respectively, as of 10:50 a.m. on August 19. Delicious marked an unusual case by closing below its public offering

According to ChainCatcher, three independent units of Ant Group—Ant International, OceanBase, and Ant Tech Finance—are raising external capital. Ant International completed a Series A round of approximately $1.2 billion in July, while OceanBase is seeking 2 billion to 3 billion yuan for its Series A

According to BlockBeats citing Bitget data, South Korean equities fell sharply on August 19, extending losses from the U.S. market. Hynix (HY) dropped over 8%, while Samsung fell more than 7%. Corresponding leveraged ETFs tracked the decline: the Naver Hynix 2x Long ETF fell 14.63%, and the Naver S

Gold surged 10% this month as global long-term government bond yields climbed to multi-decade highs, while Bitcoin showed nine consecutive months of relative weakness despite its reputation as a fiscal hedge. US 30-year Treasury yields reached 5.33%, the highest level since 2007, as reported by

The US government's debt servicing costs have surged to $1.2 trillion on an annualized basis, exceeding defense spending, according to a report by Axios on the 19th. The rising interest burden stems from maturing low-rate bonds being replaced with newly issued debt at current higher rates, forcing m

Korean retail investors have returned to US stock investments in August, with holdings surpassing $190 billion as of August 17 according to Korea Securities Depository data. The renewed interest follows a period of domestic market focus, driven by ongoing volatility in the KOSPI index that has

According to Axios, U.S. annual interest costs on national debt reached $1.2 trillion as of August 19, surpassing defense spending. This surge stems from lower-rate bonds issued in the past maturing and being refinanced at current higher rates, diverting more government revenue toward debt

According to Korea Securities Depository, as of August 17, South Korean retail investors' U.S. stock holdings surged past $190.2 billion, up $18 billion in August alone. The holdings had fallen to $171.5 billion in late July but recovered sharply this month as domestic investors sought

According to Guru Club, RBA Deputy Governor Hauser said today, Aug 19, that the central bank may raise interest rates again if inflation does not decline. Hauser cited elevated inflation and rising upside risks, noting that monetary policy must reduce aggregate demand. He added that while the

According to Bank of America's August survey released Tuesday, Aug 19, global fund managers' bullish sentiment reached a four-year high among 180 asset management representatives overseeing over $500 billion in assets. The survey shows cash allocations among fund managers have dropped to 3.5%,

Top 1% return investors at Mirae Asset Securities net-bought SK Hynix and net-sold Samsung Electronics on the morning of the 19th, according to trading data released by the brokerage. SK Hynix shares traded at 1.53 million won, down 126,000 won (7.58%) from the previous session, while Samsung Electr