Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

South Korean listed companies paid 13.52 trillion won in first-half dividends, with 127 firms announcing payouts—up 47.7% from 86 prior-year. Lee Jae-yong, Chairman of Samsung Electronics, received 72.8 billion won, ranking first among individual dividend recipients, according to Leaders Index

Microsoft raised Xbox Series X prices to $749 this week, up $150 from $599, citing surging memory chip costs. The Series S rose 25% to $499 from $399. The increases outpace Sony's $100 PlayStation 5 price hike announced in March, as

According to JPMorgan Chase's latest report on August 4, the bank maintains its preference for a "technology plus cyclicals" stock strategy and recommends adding healthcare as a third investment pillar to reduce portfolio correlation with macroeconomic factors. The report highlights a potential

President Lee Jae-myung on August 4 ordered a review of the Korea Mine Rehabilitation and Mineral Resources Corporation's supply chain role. The directive instructs relevant ministries to examine the organization's functions and investment systems to enable more active participation in securing

According to Zhitong Finance, Nason Tech's (02261) IPO subscription ended on August 4, with total margin financing of HKD 104.9 billion and oversubscription of 1,644 times. The company offered 57.59 million H-shares at HKD 10.42–11.18 per share, with Hong Kong public offering accounting for

According to E-Daily, South Korean brokerages cut their 2026 KOSPI targets on August 4, reflecting the index's 22% collapse in July. Daishin Securities lowered its annual target from 11,500 to 9,300, while Shinhan Investment & Securities set a second-half range of 8,300–8,800, down 20% from its

Saudi Aramco's Chief Executive Officer stated recently that a closure of the Strait of Hormuz would result in a loss of 100 million barrels of oil per week, highlighting the critical importance of the key shipping chokepoint for global energy

Saudi Aramco's CEO estimated yesterday that if the Strait of Hormuz were opened today, it would take up to 18 months to replenish depleted inventories at an average supply rate of 2.1 million barrels per day.

Kakao Pay achieved record quarterly revenue, operating profit, and net profit in Q2 through growth in online and offline payment services and expansion of Kakao Pay Score. The Korean fintech company disclosed on the 4th that Q2 net profit surged 251% year-over-year to 49.6

Fitch Ratings assessed that South Korea has sufficient policy capacity and macroeconomic response capability to manage short-term risks, according to a recent report from the international credit rating agency. Fitch stated South Korea's national credit rating is supported by robust external

Japan's Ministry of Finance conducted a 10-year government bond auction on the 4th that showed weakened investor demand, with the bid-to-cover ratio falling to 2.56 times, below both the prior auction's 3.13 times and the recent 12-month average of 3.3 times. Investor caution stems from

According to Kakao Pay's earnings announcement on August 4, the South Korean fintech company posted a record quarterly net profit of 49.6 billion won in Q2 2026, surging 251% from 14.1 billion won a year earlier. The result exceeded market consensus of 35.7 billion won. Operating profit also

According to Yahoo Finance, AMD will release its second-quarter earnings on August 4 after U.S. market close. The company's Q2 revenue is expected to reach $11.3 billion with earnings per share of $1.62, significantly surpassing last year's corresponding period revenue of $7.6 billion and EPS of $0.

According to Yonhap Infomax, the Japan Ministry of Finance held a 10-year government bond auction on August 4, with a bidding-to-allotted ratio of 2.56 times, falling below both the prior auction's 3.13 times and the 12-month average of 3.3 times. The tail, the spread between average and minimum all

According to Fitch, South Korea's economy will grow 2.6% in 2026, supported by strong export performance, though growth is expected to moderate in 2027–2028. The rating agency, which maintains South Korea's credit rating at AA-, noted that the country has sufficient policy capacity to manage short-t

According to Jin10, Saudi Aramco's CEO warned today that geopolitical tensions are escalating, with unprecedented supply disruptions now occurring.

According to RWA.xyz, tokenized stock holdings reached approximately 967,000 addresses worth $2.16 billion as of August 3, including exchange-traded funds. The metric has surged 92% over the past 30 days and increased 522% since the beginning of 2026. Jupiter reported that its platform's monthly tok