Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix leveraged exchange-traded funds recorded combined trading volumes exceeding 2 trillion won over two trading days on the 20th and 21st, according to Korea Exchange data released on the 23rd. The surge followed major shareholder return announcements from both

According to Yonhap Infomax, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to announce fiscal deficit reduction measures this week, while Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Walsh will deliver the opening speech at Jackson Hole Symposium on August 28. The 10-year Treasury yield rose 4.00 basis points to

Merck stock closed at $152.55 on the New York Stock Exchange on May 21 (local time), up $3.56 or 2.39% from the previous trading day, after reaching an intraday high of $154.49 to mark a 52-week high. The rally was driven by positive Phase 3 clinical trial results for a personalized messenger RNA (m

According to NYSE data, Merck stock reached a 52-week high of $152.55 on Aug 21, closing up $3.56 or 2.39%, after its Phase 3 clinical trial for Intismeran Autogene—a personalized mRNA cancer treatment co-developed with Moderna—met its primary endpoint. In a study of 1,137 high-risk melanoma

Blackstone took Jersey Mike's public last month, 1 year and 8 months after acquiring the US sandwich chain in November 2024. The IPO raised $1 billion, marking the largest US restaurant listing in recent years. Blackstone paid approximately 11 trillion won ($8 billion) for Jersey Mike's, known for f

According to Wall Street Journal reporting on SEC filings, sandwich chain Jersey Mike's completed its New York IPO last month, raising $1 billion approximately 1 year 8 months after Blackstone acquired the company in November 2024 for $8 billion. Following the acquisition, Blackstone removed the com

According to Serenity's post on X, the U.S. government released a series of policy documents this week, with focus on space transportation, mining, and supply chain sectors. The administration outlined a "Golden Age of Space Transportation" initiative, setting a goal to achieve 1,000 annual launch a

According to Investing.com, the U.S. Treasury's bond buyback measures to curb rising long-term Treasury yields prompted a weaker dollar on August 23, while gold and bitcoin rallied in tandem. The short-term dollar weakness accelerated capital inflows into alternative assets, with gold and bitcoin em

Gold mining and SK Hynix exchange-traded funds dominated returns in the Korean ETF market from the 18th to the 21st. According to data from the Korea Exchange released on the 23rd, the HANARO Global Gold Mining ETF rose 11.94% over the four-day period to claim the top spot among all domestic

According to Financial News, South Korea's ETF market saw gold mining and semiconductor-related products lead gains from August 18-21. HANARO Global Gold Mining ETF rose 11.94% and ACE Gold Futures Leverage (synthetic) gained 9.12%, topping the performance rankings. SK Hynix-focused leverage ETFs al

According to Samsung Securities analyst Yu Seung-min, the U.S. stock market is currently in its weakest performance phase within a four-year political cycle, with the S&P 500 averaging just 0.6% returns during midterm election years compared to 1.6% in presidential election years and 2.0% the year a

According to Odaily, Alibaba announced today (August 23) a placement of new shares valued at HK$80 billion to investors outside the United States. The offering has been oversubscribed, with strong demand from long-term investors including sovereign wealth

According to a draft letter seen by Agence France-Presse (AFP), six EU member states are pushing for a windfall tax on oil companies across the European Union on August 23. Germany, Italy, Austria, Poland, Portugal, and Spain have called for the measure to be included on the agenda of next month's E

According to KOSCOM CHECK data, on August 23, the combined margin loan balance for Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix reached ₩9.95 trillion (approximately $7.5 billion), up ₩531.1 billion in a single day as both stocks

According to the Financial Investment Association, South Korea's foreign brokerage firms saw net profit surge 214% in the second quarter of 2026 as the KOSPI index breached the 9,000 level. Major foreign brokerages including JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, UBS Securities, Morgan Stanley, an

According to Korea Exchange, KCC announced on August 21 a shareholder value-enhancement plan committing to distribute at least 50% of special dividends received from Samsung C&T (of which it owns 10.49%) to its own shareholders. KCC shares surged 24.74% this month following the announcement. The com

Samsung Electronics approved a shareholder return plan of approximately 90 trillion to 110 trillion won for 2026 at a board meeting on the 21st. The plan represents the largest shareholder return in Korean corporate history and approximately five times the previous record of 20.3 trillion won set in

According to WSJ and other international media outlets, President Donald Trump executed more than 1,000 stock transactions during June, with 550 purchases and over 450 sales recorded in his investment account. Disclosed trades involved securities with positions exceeding $1 million in

US President Donald Trump's investment account executed over 1000 stock transactions during June, with 550 purchases and more than 450 sales, according to reports by the Wall Street Journal and other media outlets on local time. Major purchases exceeding $1 million in disclosed value included