Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

According to Yonhapinfomax, Korean retail investors returned to buying U.S. stocks and bonds in July, with stock purchases reaching a 6-month high and bond purchases hitting an 11-month high. The surge was driven by concentrated demand for leveraged U.S. tech ETFs, with Nasdaq-100 3x leverage ETF (S

According to News24, South Korea's Board of Audit and Inspection launched an audit probe into the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) on August 3 following complaints that the regulator mishandled cases related to Directional, an unlicensed stock lending platform, or provided preferential

According to Yonhapnews, South Korea's KOSPI composite index fell 3.18% to 6,385.81 points as of 9:02 a.m. on August 3, 2026. The index opened down 3.60% at 6,358.27 points, erasing gains from the previous trading session's record

According to Kiwoom Securities, Doosan acquired a 70.61% stake in SK Siltron for approximately 2.3 trillion won on August 3, a price below market expectations. Analyst Kim Min-kyu noted the deal excludes the unprofitable silicon carbide wafer business, allowing Doosan to secure only the

According to JPMorgan Chase on August 3, the U.S. Treasury Department has limited liquidity resources to coordinate further currency intervention with Japan. As of June, the Treasury's Exchange Stabilization Fund held approximately $13 billion in euro-denominated assets and $25.5 billion in U.S.

The Hang Seng Index completed a 5-day rally in the last week of July, starting at 24,938 points on the 27th and reaching a near 2-month high of 25,971 points on Thursday before closing at 25,884 points on Friday. The weekly gain of 921 points or 3.68% capped a monthly surge of 3,003 points or 13.12%

According to market analysis by blogger Lao Xu, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 3,003 points or 13.12% in July, marking its best monthly performance since October 2024. The index touched a nearly two-month high of 25,971 mid-week before closing at 25,884. Since hitting bottom on June 26, the Hang

AstraZeneca and Bristol Myers Squibb held early-stage merger talks that would create a pharmaceutical entity valued at approximately $400 billion, according to reports from Financial Times and Bloomberg on day 2 local time. AstraZeneca is pursuing the acquisition to expand its footprint in the US ma

Gate News: According to the latest Gate TradFi data, XTIUSD (WTI Crude USOIL) has dropped by 4% in a short period. Current volatility is significantly higher than recent averages, indicating increased market

According to NextRade, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix declined in pre-market trading on August 3, with Samsung falling 4.19% (down 11,000 won to 250,150 won) and Hynix under pressure as of 8:20 a.m. The weakness followed profit-taking after the two South Korean chipmakers surged 20–30% in the

According to Hana Securities analysts, multiple brokerages cut target prices for EcoPro BM on August 3, citing slowing electric vehicle market growth and delayed recovery in the energy storage system (ESS) sector. Near-term earnings pressure is expected to be unavoidable, though analysts see

According to Financial Times and Bloomberg, AstraZeneca considered acquiring rival pharmaceutical company Bristol Myers Squibb on August 2, with the potential deal valued at approximately $400 billion. The two companies were in preliminary-stage discussions regarding the merger and acquisition. If t

Seven major South Korean pension funds and mutual aid associations manage combined assets estimated to exceed 2000 trillion KRW when including first-half gains this year, equivalent to approximately two-thirds of the country's nominal GDP of 2663.3 trillion KRW last year. The National Pension

Hanwha Aerospace reported Q2 operating profit of 1.3655 trillion won, significantly exceeding the market consensus of 1 trillion won, prompting securities firms to raise target prices. Daol Securities maintained its buy rating while increasing the target price from 2.04 million won to 2.14 million w

According to Daol Investment Securities, on August 3, Hanwha Aerospace's second-quarter operating profit reached 1.3655 trillion won, significantly exceeding consensus estimates of 1 trillion won. Daol raised its target price to 2.14 million won from 2.04 million won, maintaining a buy rating. DS In

According to China Securities (CITIC), rare earth prices showed mixed performance in July, with praseodymium-neodymium oxide declining 11% month-over-month due to tight raw material supplies at recycling facilities, according to Shanghai Metals. Demand weakened as downstream motor factories

CJ CheilJedang's Q2 2026 earnings are projected to meet market expectations, with 7 securities firms surveyed by Yonhap Infomax forecasting consolidated revenue of 6.9916 trillion won and operating profit of 275.8 billion won. The consensus reflects a 3.39% year-over-year decline in revenue and a 21

China's central bank will have 1.842 trillion yuan in short-term reverse repurchase agreements expiring this week (Aug 3-7, 2026). Additionally, 300 billion yuan in 3-month reverse repos are due to mature on Wednesday. The central bank previously announced it will conduct 300 billion yuan in

According to Yonhap Infomax citing consensus from seven major South Korean brokerages, CJ CheilJedang's Q2 earnings forecast (released August 3) shows consolidated revenue of 6.99 trillion won and operating profit of 275.8 billion won, down 3.39% and 21.87% year-over-year respectively. The food

SK Securities released a report on August 3 analyzing the Korean stock market's potential shift from large-cap to small and mid-cap stocks following record volatility. Researcher Na Seung-doo stated that capital concentrated in top-tier stocks may redistribute to previously neglected sectors due to