Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

Fitch Ratings published its Q3 Global Risk Outlook on the 29th, warning that AI market corrections pose serious credit risk as the AI industry drives economic growth and stock markets in major countries. The agency cited rapid valuation increases, massive AI investment scale, and

Samsung SDI will begin mass production of prismatic lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries for energy storage systems (ESS) at its US facility in October. The company announced during its second-quarter earnings conference call on July 30 that orders secured to date will fill a significant portion o

Ahn Cheol-soo, a lawmaker from the People Power Party, posted on Facebook on May 30 calling three financial officials the 'No-Answer Trio' and urging President Lee Jae-myung to dismiss them immediately. Ahn criticized Kim Yong-beom (Presidential Policy Office Director), Lee Eok-won (Financial

South Korea's National Pension Service disclosed that its fund assets reached 1,849 trillion won as of the end of May, according to an announcement on the 30th. The fund's asset allocation consisted of 29.4% in domestic stocks, 35.2% in foreign stocks, 15.7% in domestic

According to Fitch on July 29, the international credit rating agency warned in its Q3 Global Risk Outlook that AI market adjustments have emerged as serious credit risk factors. The S&P 500's cyclically adjusted price-to-earnings ratio (CAPE) on a 10-year average basis has approached levels seen

According to POSCO International's earnings call on July 30, the company's Australian subsidiary Senex Energy reported a second-quarter operating profit of 332 billion Korean won, up 235% year-over-year. Revenue reached 1,341 billion won, rising 49.4% from the same period last year. Sales volume

As of July 30, 2026, according to Gate market data, Brent crude oil is at $88.69 per barrel, up 4.95% over the past 24 hours; WTI crude oil is at $85.09 per barrel, up 3.88%. Just one trading day earlier (July 29), Brent crude surged 7.91% at the close, finishing at $90.74 per barrel—one of the most aggressive single-day gains since the latest escalation of the Iran–U.S. conflict. On the same day, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted by 1,153.18 points, down 2.19%, marking the largest sing

According to the National Pension Service announcement on July 30, the fund's assets reached 1,849 trillion won as of end-May, with a year-to-date return of 26.18%. Domestic stocks contributed significantly, surging 106.76%, while overseas equities rose 16.13% and alternative investments

Bae Jae-kyu, CEO of Korea Investment Trust Management, posted on Facebook on the 30th that single-stock leveraged products should achieve 'natural death' rather than delisting, reiterating his warning that 'not investing is the best option.' This followed his deletion of a similar post from the 20th

According to Bloomberg, on July 29, South Korea's financial authorities announced supplementary measures for single-stock leveraged ETFs. Analysts noted the measures came too late, with the country now serving as a cautionary example for other markets to avoid similar stock market

Samsung SDI reported Q2 operating profit of 203.8 billion won, marking its first quarterly profit in seven quarters after posting an operating loss of 397.8 billion won in the same period last year. Revenue reached 3.7688 trillion won, up 18.5% year-over-year, driven by strong demand for

Kiwoom Securities reported Q2 2026 operating profit of 788.9 billion KRW on July 30, exceeding market expectations by 20.2% as domestic stock trading volume surged. The brokerage's net profit reached 680.6 billion KRW, up 119.4% year-over-year, driven by a 178.3% increase in stock commission

According to Yonhapnews, on July 30, Korean Investment Trust Management CEO Bae Jae-gyou reiterated his call for single-stock leveraged ETF products to be allowed to naturally expire rather than face forced delisting. The statement comes 10 days after Bae initially posted similar criticism on July 2

According to South Korea's insurance industry, AIG Insurance implemented a 30 billion won interim dividend in early July, marking the insurer's first cash dividend in two years. The payout came to 486 won per share with a dividend payout ratio of 133.9%. The company said it determined the dividend a

According to BizWatch on July 30, Kiwoom Securities reported Q2 2026 operating profit of 789.9 billion Korean won, up 93.2% year-over-year and exceeding analyst consensus of 656.3 billion won by 20.2%. Net profit reached 680.6 billion won, up 119.4% from the prior year. Stock commission revenue

As of July 30 afternoon, South Korea's KOSPI index declined 0.64% to 5626.94, extending a two-day selloff that breached the 6,000-point level. Retail investors shifted to selling after days of buying, while institutions and foreign investors continued accumulating positions, underpinning the

According to Deutsche Bank's foreign exchange research team on July 30, the U.S. dollar index fell and the euro rose after the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady with notable internal dissent. Three officials dissented, favoring a 25 basis point hike, underscoring concerns about persistent i

According to Christian Hoffmann, head of fixed income at Xiong Bo Investment Management, the Federal Reserve's decision to keep interest rates unchanged represents a 'disturbing inaction' rather than an inevitable outcome. The move comes as oil prices surge again amid heightened geopolitical

According to Jin10, foreign exchange options across EUR/USD, USD/JPY, GBP/USD, and AUD/USD will expire on July 30 at 22:00 Beijing time. A total of 16 strikes valued at 1 billion yuan or above are set to expire, warranting risk management

Barclays cut its target price for SK Hynix American Depositary Receipts to $300 from $330 on 29일(현지시간), citing downward revisions to memory average selling price forecasts centered on commodity DRAM. The global investment bank maintained its 'overweight' investment rating based on the company's