Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

Morgan Stanley downgraded Circle Internet Group (NYSE: CRCL) from Equal-weight to Underweight on the 3rd (U.S. local time), citing deteriorating long-term profitability. The investment bank slashed Circle's price target from $106 to $38, a reduction exceeding 64%. Analyst James Faucette attributed t

Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo of the People Power Party on the 4th criticized the government's 2026 tax reform plan, stating it imposed a "nerf" (performance downgrade) on the public's ISA (Individual Savings Account). Ahn argued the reform contains "toxic provisions" that harm retail investors' accounts,

According to Yonhap Infomax, as of the end of July, South Korea's five major banks—KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana, Woori, and NH Nonghyup—reported combined group loan balances of 148.24 trillion won, up 653.1 billion won from the previous month. The increase marks the fourth consecutive month of growth f

According to IB News, Clobot executives sold more than 200,000 shares at the end of last year when the stock peaked at 60,000 won (approximately $46). The company is now pursuing a capital increase to fund the acquisition of Doosan Logistics Solutions, but its largest shareholder and related

According to CoinDesk, Morgan Stanley downgraded stablecoin issuer Circle Internet Group (NYSE: CRCL) from Equal-weight to Underweight on August 3, slashing its target price from $106 to $38—a cut of over 64%. Analyst James Faucett cited margin

According to CNBC, GameStop (NYSE: GME) agreed on Aug 3 to exchange $1.4 billion in zero-coupon convertible bonds for company stock with existing bondholders through private negotiations. The exchange includes approximately $400 million in bonds maturing in 2030 and $1 billion maturing in 2032. The

According to Barron's, Micron Technology (MU) stock rebounded on Monday (August 3) despite negative headlines surrounding Chinese memory chip maker Changxin Memory (CXMT). After dropping as much as 3.4% to $795.02 earlier in the session, Micron closed up 0.79% at $829.50, signaling market

According to BlockBeats, U.S. stocks rallied on Monday (August 4), with the Dow Jones hitting a closing record up 1.3%, the S&P 500 rising 1.48%, and the Nasdaq climbing 2.1%, according to BIT market data.

According to Yonhapinfomax, the USD/KRW exchange rate dropped to 1,429.50 won on August 4 early morning, falling below the 1,430 won level amid continued yen strength from US-Japan coordination intervention. The rate declined 0.30 won from the previous Seoul close and 6.00 won from 24 hours prior. J

Korean semiconductor stocks showed strong gains in pre-market trading on the morning of the 4th, led by Samsung Electro-Mechanics surging 7.79% and Samsung Electronics rising 2.51% as of 8:10 AM according to NextTrade pre-market data. The rebound followed an oversold perception from the previous

U.S. stock indices rallied on August 3 as hyperscale companies reported strong second-quarter earnings, easing concerns about artificial intelligence profitability. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.32% to 53,178.41, while the S&P 500 gained 1.48% to 7,600.5.

According to NextTrade premarket data, on August 4 at 8:10 AM KST, Samsung Electro-Mechanics surged 7.79% to 1.273 million won, leading South Korean semiconductor stocks higher. Samsung Electronics rose 2.51% to 245,500 won, while SK Hynix climbed 2.94% to 1.613 million won. The rally was driven

Kakao is forecast to report Q2 operating profit growth despite flat revenue, driven by business portfolio restructuring. Securities analysts project Q2 revenue of 2.0381 trillion won and operating profit of 218.9 billion won, representing year-over-year increases of 0.48% and 17.77% respectively,

South Korea's National Pension Service achieved a 26.18% return as of the end of May, reaching total assets of 1,848.7 trillion won, but subsequently faced significant evaluation losses after delaying portfolio rebalancing during a market peak. The pension fund postponed mechanical selling of

Shinhan Investment & Securities analyst Kim Sung-hwan stated that yen-carry trade unwinding concerns emerged as a new market issue after the dollar-yen exchange rate dropped sharply last week under US-Japan coordination. Kim explained the unwinding pressure represents the final stage of the

According to Asia Economics, South Korea's National Pension Fund saw its domestic stock holdings decline by approximately 180 trillion won in two months following a 33.19% KOSPI plunge from May to late July. The fund had reached record asset levels of 1,848.7 trillion won with a 26.18% return rate a

The Korean exchange-traded fund market contracted sharply in July as single-stock leveraged ETFs sparked regulatory intervention amid heightened market volatility. Total net assets of domestically listed ETFs fell from 500 trillion KRW to the 430 trillion KRW range during the month, while single-sto

CNBC's Jim Cramer on Monday said Wall Street's basket trades during the Iran war are distorting stock prices and creating buying opportunities for investors. The 'Mad Money' host argued that traders have increasingly grouped stocks into baskets that rise or fall together based on broad themes

According to CNBC's Jim Cramer on Monday, geopolitical-driven basket trades are distorting stock prices but creating real buying opportunities. He noted that traders increasingly group stocks into baskets that rise or fall together based on broad themes rather than company fundamentals, allowing

According to KOSCOM ETF Check, South Korea's domestic ETF market shrank to 434.6 trillion won as of July 31, down 15.2% from 512.4 trillion won at the end of June. Single-stock leveraged ETFs, particularly SK Hynix-based products, dominated individual net buying rankings throughout the month but