Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

Big tech companies surpassed $200 billion in bond issuance this year to fund artificial intelligence investments, according to analysis by Yonhap Infomax on local time May 20. The surge in corporate bond supply is driving up borrowing costs and sustaining high interest rate environments across bond

According to Yonhap Infomax, as of August 21, South Korea's dollar-won exchange rate has fallen 163.20 won in just over a month, yet 3-year government bond yields have risen, breaking their historical correlation. The exchange rate dropped from a July 2 peak of 1,555.80 won to 1,392.60 won as of Aug

From 02:00 to 03:00 (UTC) on August 21, 2026, BTC experienced a slight one-hour pullback, posting a return of -0.34%. It traded within a range of 74,683.1–75,193.9 USDT, with an amplitude of 0.68%. Over the preceding 24 hours, BTC rebounded from $68,907 to a high of $75,784, gaining 7.52%, while heightened volatility drew significant market attention. The primary driver of this move was the continued escalation of geopolitical risks stemming from the US-Iran war. The Iranian military shifted fro

China's overnight Shanghai Interbank Offered Rate (SHIBOR) rose to 1.4340% overnight, up 5.0 basis points. The 7-day SHIBOR increased to 1.4256%, up 3.56 basis points, while the 3-month SHIBOR remained flat at 1.4300%.

Bloomberg cited informed sources on August 21 as saying that Samsung Electronics’ shareholder return program could be worth up to 110 trillion Korean won (approximately $79 billion). The board will convene at 4 p.m. Korea time that day, with details of the plan to be announced after the meeting. If implemented at this scale, it could become the largest shareholder return in the history of South Korean listed companies. As of press time, Samsung had not officially disclosed the amount or details,

Japanese investors net purchased over 5 trillion yen in overseas stocks and long-term bonds during the two weeks ending the 15th, according to Japan Ministry of Finance data cited by CNBC on the 20th (local time). This contrasts sharply with net sales exceeding 300 billion yen in the prior two-week

US Treasury Secretary Scott Besent signaled additional strategies to influence bond markets in a CNBC interview on the 20th (local time), drawing attention to Fed Chair Kevin Warsh's upcoming appearance at the Jackson Hole meeting next week. Besent emphasized that treasury buyback expansion is

According to CNBC citing Japan's Ministry of Finance, Japanese investors net-bought over 5 trillion yen in overseas stocks and long-term bonds in the two weeks through August 15, reversing prior weakness. Market analysts say the Bank of Japan's recent currency intervention has actually accelerated c

According to S&P Global, Japan's August services purchasing managers' index (PMI) preliminary reading reached 52.3 on August 21, up from 51.2 in July. Manufacturing PMI rose to 55.1 from 54.5, while the composite PMI climbed to 53.4 from 52.7, indicating strengthened private sector expansion. S&P Gl

JYP Entertainment's share price declined 27.44% over the past month to 38,600 Korean won as of August 21, compared to 53,200 won on July 1, according to the Korea Exchange. The company's Q2 earnings fell short of market expectations, with revenue down 15.1% year-over-year to 184.7 billion won and

According to Goldman Sachs MarketStrats on Aug 21, expanded long-term U.S. Treasury bond repurchases can provide near-term relief to long-end yields. Drawing on historical precedent from Operation Twist in 1961 and the 2011 maturity extension program, both delivered approximately 10-20bp of rate

According to Gate data, silver (XAGUSD) broke through $69 per ounce today, trading at $69.001/oz with a 24-hour gain of 2.9%.

According to Morningstar Investment, Bubble Mart's (09992.HK) H1 2026 earnings fell 15-20% below market expectations, with Americas sales declining 10% and unfavorable product mix pressuring gross margins. The firm cut 2026-2028 average earnings forecasts by 25% and sales guidance by 17%, citing

Platinum futures contracts surged more than 4% during intraday trading on August 21, reaching 460.65 yuan per gram.

Foreign government holdings of US Treasuries have declined to approximately 12% of the total market from roughly 40% before the financial crisis, according to an Axios analysis reported by Yonhap Infomax. This shift has resulted in US Treasury market management falling increasingly into the hands of

Walmart Inc. and Target Corp. reported contrasting fiscal second-quarter earnings results this week, triggering sharply different stock market reactions. Walmart stock tumbled over 8% on Thursday, marking its worst single-day decline in over four years, while Target stock climbed to a 52-week high o

According to Axios on August 20, foreign governments' holdings of U.S. Treasury securities have declined significantly from roughly 40% before and after the 2008 financial crisis to about 12% currently, driving increased volatility and management challenges in the bond market. The shift reflects

US President Donald Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum on Thursday targeting over 1,000 US launches and reentries annually by 2030. The policy seeks faster permitting reviews, additional launch sites, priority airspace, and private infrastructure investment to enable a