Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

Kim Woo-ki, the 57-year-old CEO of W Asset Management, achieved a 510.6% cumulative return with the firm's flagship fund W1000 over approximately 7 years and 4 months as of August 12, 2026 closing price. The performance significantly outperformed the KOSPI's 192.6% gain during the same period

Hana Securities researcher Lee Jae-man published a report on August 24 recommending investors focus on companies that can boost return on equity (ROE) through expanded shareholder returns as global government bond yields reach peak levels. Rising bond yields weaken confidence in corporate profit

According to Hana Securities analyst Lee Jae-man on August 24, rising global bond yields create an opportunity for companies prioritizing shareholder returns through share buybacks and dividend expansion. In high-rate environments, markets favor improved return on equity (ROE) through increased

According to Korea Exchange, KOSPI closed at 6,912.95 on August 21, just 87.05 points below the 7,000-point milestone, with trading volumes hitting year-low levels. Daily average turnover in August through August 21 stood at 0.56%, the lowest this year, while average daily trading value fell to 26.5

According to Newsis, U.S. long-term Treasury yields spiked on August 18 amid heightened Middle East tensions, with the 30-year yield rising to 5.33% and 10-year yield trading around 4.71%. South Korea's KOSPI index plunged 5.80% to 6,471.17, with foreign investors reversing course to sell 3.5

According to Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Reza Zaeif, on August 22, any country participating in economic restrictions against Iran will be viewed as an enemy. Zaeif warned the world not to join the United States in an economic war against Iran, describing the Trump

Canadian Prime Minister Chrystien Freeland announced on August 22 that equivalent retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods will take effect on September 8 in response to American tariffs. The move follows U.S. imposition of 50% tariffs on C$200 billion in Canadian goods. The retaliatory measures will

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's 'Treasury Twist' strategy combining long-term bond buybacks with short-term debt issuance failed to suppress long-term interest rates beyond one day. The policy aimed to lower borrowing costs through increased purchases of long-dated Treasuries while issuing

According to Korea Exchange on August 24, the SOL Cosmetics TOP3 Plus ETF surged 30.09% this month, becoming the top-performing listed ETF in South Korea. The rally reflects shifting investor demand from semiconductor-focused positions toward sectors with improved earnings

According to Chosun Biz, on August 20, Stick Investment, the second-largest shareholder of electric vehicle fast-charging infrastructure operator Chaabi, encountered significant difficulties recovering over 100 billion won (approximately $750 million

According to Shanghai Securities News, on August 24, Alibaba completed pricing of an 80 billion Hong Kong dollar (approximately 10.2 billion US dollar) equity offering at HK$112.70 per share, raising 710 million shares. The net proceeds will be fully allocated to investment in full-stack AI

NVIDIA is expanding into AI model development through a $6 billion technology licensing agreement with AI startup Poolside, while notifying key customers of server price increases exceeding 15% due to surging memory costs. According to the Wall Street Journal on the 23rd (local time), NVIDIA plans t

According to the Wall Street Journal on August 23, Nvidia agreed to a $6 billion technology licensing deal with AI startup Pulsewide to develop competitive open-weight AI models targeting DeepSeek and Kimi. Nvidia will invest $1 billion in Pulsewide (valued at $12 billion) and pay an additional $6 b

According to Jin10 Data, this week bond investors will closely watch Federal Reserve Chair Wosh's speech at Jackson Hole for guidance on persistent inflation and fiscal challenges. Long-term U.S. Treasuries face potential further sell-off pressure if the Fed chair fails to provide additional

Korean retail investors lost millions of won following stock recommendations from finfluencers on social media platforms including Instagram, Threads, and YouTube, according to multiple investor testimonials and a November 2024 survey. Kim Min-gyu, a 23-year-old Seoul university student, lost

According to Donga Ilbo, South Korean investors ages 20-24 have suffered significant losses following investment advice from finfluencers on social media platforms including Instagram, Threads, and YouTube in recent months. A November 2024 survey by the Korea Financial Consumer Protection

FIGS, a Los Angeles-based medical scrubs company, reported Q2 2026 revenue of $196.6M, marking 28.8% year-over-year growth and its third consecutive quarter of 25%+ expansion. The company's net income reached $28.4M in Q2, quadrupling from the prior-year period, while net profit margin improved

According to Money Today, medical apparel company FIGS reported Q2 2026 revenue of $196.6 million, a 28.8% increase year-over-year, marking three consecutive quarters of growth exceeding 25%. Net income reached $28.4 million compared to $9.9 million in the prior year period, with net profit margin r

According to Reuters, Minneapolis Federal Reserve President Neil Kashkari said on August 23 that the U.S. Treasury market is functioning normally with adequate trading and liquidity, despite recent sharp increases in bond yields. The 10-year Treasury yield closed at approximately 4.73% on August 21,

According to Iranian National Security Council Secretary Rezaei, today (August 23), Rezaei stated that if economic warfare continues, no oil will be exported from the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf. He added that Iran will consider any country's participation in or support for U.S. economic s