Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

According to Jin10, Iran's Revolutionary Guards seized two oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz on August 1, with U.S. officials confirming President Trump has ordered a new round of military strikes to begin as early as this weekend and potentially continue for several days. The U.S. and Israel

According to MSX.COM data, U.S. markets closed higher on August 1, with the Dow Jones rising 0.53%, the S&P 500 climbing 0.7%, and the Nasdaq gaining 1%. The VIX fear gauge fell 6.44%. AI stocks led gains, with Ambarella surging 16.08%, Amazon up 15.32%, Alphabet rising 6.73%, Arista Networks

This week, Nasdaq Composite rallied 1% on Friday, with Microsoft surging 21.75% after beating earnings expectations. The tech giant reported adjusted earnings per share of $4.74 and revenue of $90 billion, up 18% year-over-year, driven by strong cloud and AI business growth. Amazon also posted

According to Today News, major Big Tech companies released better-than-expected earnings on July 31, 2026, easing market skepticism about artificial intelligence profitability. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 276.97 points, or 0.53%, on the session. Nvidia reclaimed the top spot in market

According to Today News, dollar-denominated insurance sales in South Korea have surged as the KRW-USD exchange rate remains elevated. Consumers are increasingly purchasing dollar insurance in hopes of capturing currency gains. However, industry analysts caution that insurance products should not

LS Securities issued a report on the 1st stating that investors should consider alternative sectors as semiconductor stocks experience volatility. The brokerage firm noted that KOSPI has declined approximately 40% from its peak, recording a drop comparable to past financial crisis periods,

Ethereum rose 11.8% in July on domestic exchanges while Bitcoin and XRP reversed their monthly gains amid Middle East tensions and interest rate concerns. Ethereum traded at 2.38 million won on July 1 and reached 2.68 million won by July 31, according

Insurance exchange-traded funds outperformed other defensive sector funds in July as investors rotated capital away from artificial intelligence and mega-cap technology stocks. The tactical shift occurred amid growing anxiety over escalating AI infrastructure spending by technology giants

In July, insurance exchange-traded funds including SPDR S&P Insurance ETF (KIE) and iShares U.S. Insurance ETF (IAK) led defensive sector flows as investors rotated out of technology stocks. The S&P 500 Insurance Industry Index hit a record high, while insurance brokers reached their highest

According to LS Securities, KOSPI has fallen approximately 40% from its peak as of August 1, driven primarily by weakness in artificial intelligence-related semiconductor stocks. The brokerage recommends investors consider alternative investment sectors to offset semiconductor volatility. In South K

HD Hyundai Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries reported Q2 2024 earnings that exceeded market expectations, with operating profit margins rising over 5 percentage points year-over-year, according to Shinhan Investment & Securities. The strong performance was

According to Benzinga, in Apple's June quarter earnings call, CEO Tim Cook described the surge in DRAM prices as a "hundred-year flood," citing memory cost pressures as the primary reason the company raised product prices. Cook noted that Apple expects memory costs to continue climbing and stated th

According to Iran's Tasnim news agency, on August 1, Iranian officials stated the country has prepared a comprehensive plan to counter potential U.S. and Israeli attacks on its infrastructure. The response plan includes strikes on Israeli critical infrastructure and American energy facilities in the

According to Shinhan Investment, Korean shipbuilders posted strong earnings in the second quarter of 2026, with high-specification vessel sales increasing and productivity improving. Orders have approached annual targets, though stock prices remain under pressure from profit-taking concerns. Shinhan

According to Reuters, on Friday, August 1, the U.S. Treasury intervened in the yen, marking the first time in nearly 30 years that the U.S. and Japan have jointly supported the currency through direct purchasing operations. A photograph taken at an open media session of a Trump cabinet meeting at

South Korea's exports reached $98.89 billion in July, a 62.8% year-over-year surge that marks the second-highest monthly total on record, driven by continued semiconductor demand. The figure exceeded the market consensus of $97.83 billion and extended a 14-month streak of record-breaking

According to Money Today, South Korea's KOSPI index fell 1.42% week-over-week to close at 6,595.45 points for the week ending July 31. However, on July 31 alone, the index rebounded sharply with a 17.91% single-day gain, marking the highest daily increase in KOSPI history. The volatile week saw

SK Hynix shares on Friday (August 31) surged 30% on the Korean stock exchange to hit daily trading limits, with KOSPI up 18% and Samsung Electronics gaining 27%, while its U.S.-listed American depositary receipts (ADR, SKHY-US) closed down 3.6% at $143.69. The divergence reflects divergent

According to Alternative.me data, the Crypto Fear and Greed Index rose to 27 today, up from 25 yesterday. The shift indicates the market has transitioned from extreme fear to fear status.

Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) faces a proposed class action in Seattle federal court over alleged greenwashing of seafood sustainability labels. Consumers allege the retailer misrepresented the environmental benefits of seafood sold on its platform, misleading shoppers about the environmental impact of its