Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

According to Bizwatch, two South Korean companies debuted on the Kosdaq market this week with notably different investor reception. NearSlab, an AI-powered autonomous drone solutions firm, listed on August 24, setting its initial public offering price at 41,200 Korean won after institutional

According to South Korea's financial investment industry, the country's five major banks' time deposit balance surged to 984.9 trillion won as of late July, up 35.5 trillion won from June and approximately 40 trillion won in two months, as investors shifted funds from equities to safer assets amid m

According to Korea Exchange DataMarketPlace, on August 21, the KOSPI index closed at 6,912.95, down 0.9% from the previous week, halting its recovery toward the 7,000 level. Retail investors provided significant support with net buying of 2.39 trillion won, while foreign investors conducted net

NVIDIA is raising prices for AI servers by more than 15%, according to Bloomberg citing multiple sources on local time May 22. The price increases will apply to shipments starting early next year and affect systems with both the next-generation Vera Rubin and current Grace Blackwell chips. The

Grayscale Head of Research Zach Pandl stated on Aug. 21 that bitcoin may offer a favorable entry point for long-term investors based on three converging factors. The assessment addressed adoption trends, cycle positioning, and macroeconomic conditions as bitcoin reached $79,461 before easing

According to Yonhap Infomax on August 23, SK Hynix plans to acquire 24.07 million shares worth approximately 40 trillion Korean won through August 19 for full cancellation, expected to generate roughly 80 billion won in transaction-related taxes including securities transaction tax and

According to China National Pipeline Group, Horgos compression station, the first station of West-to-East Gas Pipeline II and III, surpassed 6,000 billion cubic meters of cumulative natural gas deliveries on August 22. The facility, which handles gas from Central Asia and coal-to-gas production,

According to Barron's reporting on Friday, August 21, SpaceX received a sell rating from DZ Bank analyst Markus Leistner, who initiated coverage with a $100 price target. This contrasts sharply with Wall Street consensus: 75% of analysts covering the company have buy ratings, with an average price t

On Friday (August 21), President Trump stated that Treasury Secretary Benson's expansion of long-term U.S. Treasury buybacks this week was Benson's own decision, not ordered by him. Trump said Benson is "very capable" and has "sharp judgment" on bond and interest rate markets. Long-dated Treasury

According to Guru Club citing sources, Nvidia has notified major customers that AI-related server prices will rise over 15% starting early next year, driven by surging memory chip costs. The price increases affect systems equipped with Vera Rubin and Grace Blackwell flagship chips, with exact hike a

According to Jin10 data, nearly 200 vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz last week, up from 150 in the preceding week and approximately 40 two weeks prior. Data from maritime intelligence firm Kpler shows that over 80% of liquid cargo transported through the strait in the past two weeks either

Major Korean securities firms reduced margin loan interest rates from annual 9-10% to 7-8% levels starting late last month, following financial authorities' announcement in July to review excessive rate practices. Samsung Securities and Shinhan Investment Securities lowered rates to 7.5% and 6.95% r

According to Newsis, on August 20, major South Korean brokerages began cutting margin loan rates following pressure from financial regulators over excessive interest charges. Samsung Securities lowered its rate from 9.0% annually to 7.5%, while Shinhan Investment Securities reduced rates to 6.95% fr

The U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) fell 0.1% to 98.80 on Friday (August 21), marking its worst week since late July as underlying fiscal concerns weighed on the currency. The index declined approximately 0.9% for the week, hovering near three-month lows. The weakness was driven by mounting doubts over U.S

The New York stock market faces multiple major events during the week of August 24-28, as Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh delivers a keynote speech at the Jackson Hole symposium on August 28, NVIDIA releases its second-quarter earnings on August 26, and the July core Personal Consumption

Genesis, Hyundai Motor's premium brand, surpassed 450,000 cumulative sales in the US market by July, marking a decade since its 2016 entry. The brand sold 454,049 vehicles through July and achieved a record 39,088 units in the first half of this year. Genesis has posted five consecutive years of

Lotte Engineering & Construction's financial indicators approached or met credit rating upgrade triggers set by domestic credit rating agencies during the upper half period. The company's debt ratio fell to 163%, down 24 percentage points from 187% at the end of last year, according to the

According to Yonhapinfomax, New York's three major stock indices declined last week, with the Nasdaq Composite dropping 2.05%, the S&P 500 falling 1.43%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average sliding 0.85%. The selloff was driven by a sharp surge in long-term U.S. Treasury

Inter-Korean economic cooperation stocks surged last week following US-North Korea summit expectations, prompting Korea Exchange to issue investment warnings on the 21st. Joeun People stock rose 80% from 330 won to 595 won, ranking first among all KOSPI and KOSDAQ listed stocks, while INDIEF

IBK Securities launched the 'IBKS Black Numbers (SPAC) Wrap' on the 23rd, an advisory-type wrap account that diversifies investments across domestic listed Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) to capture profit opportunities from mergers. The product aims to provide investors with a