Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

The Bank of Korea raised its base rate from 2.75% to 3.00% on the 27th, diminishing the investment appeal of high-dividend stocks. Preferred shares, which previously attracted investors despite lower liquidity through relatively higher dividend yields, are experiencing increased neglect. The rate in

According to Korea Exchange, preferred shares of Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor fell more sharply than common shares following South Korea's central bank rate hike on August 27. The Bank of Korea raised its benchmark rate to 3.0% from 2.75%, reducing the appeal of dividend-paying stocks as

According to News1, on August 31, Samsung Electronics shares dropped 8.7% for the week ended August 28, closing at 257,000 won versus 281,500 won the prior week. The decline came despite the company's pledge to return 90-110 trillion won to shareholders this year, with 30 trillion won allocated as t

According to Seoul Economic on August 31, digital healthcare company Skylabs will list on South Korea's KOSDAQ market on September 4. The IPO price was set at 10,000 KRW per share, below the proposed range of 13,000-16,000 KRW. The institutional book-building attracted 246 investors with a 63.41-to-

On August 19, the U.S. Treasury announced it doubled its long-dated bond buyback program to $4 billion, prompting gold traders to increase bullish bets and sending spot prices surging over 7% in five days to near $4,700 per ounce. According to Goldman Sachs, gold call option demand has risen

According to Q2 2026 earnings reports, major U.S. retailers adopted divergent strategies for deploying billions in tariff refunds following a February Supreme Court ruling that invalidated President Trump's tariff authority. Walmart received approximately $2.9 billion in refunds and plans to use

On August 30, 2026, from 20:30 to 20:45 (UTC), BTC’s 15-minute candlestick return was -0.46%, with a price range of 78,439.0–78,881.6 USDT and an amplitude of 0.56%. Despite the slight short-term pullback, the 24-hour gain remained around 1.48%, with prices moving within a narrow range of $77,900–$79,400. Market sentiment was strongly cautious, while trading volume during this period was only 119.4 BTC, indicating extremely low participation. The primary driver of this price movement was the con

Korean investors moved 2.6 trillion won into money market and covered call ETFs during a recent week, according to KOSCOM ETF CHECK data reported on the 31st. Money market ETFs received 1.6 trillion won as domestic stocks consolidated, with investors parking funds in short-term instruments.

Lee Chae-won, chairman of Life Asset Management, appeared on Chosun Ilbo Money YouTube program 'Reporter Kwak's Coverage Notes' on the 21st and 25th to discuss investment strategies for the domestic stock market. He recommended investing in companies where the interests of major shareholders and

According to Korea Securities Depository ETF CHECK, money market and covered call exchange-traded funds attracted a combined 2.6 trillion won in net inflows over the past week through Aug 31. Money market ETFs, which invest in short-term bonds and commercial paper, received approximately 1.6 trillio

Grayscale's Zcash Trust converted to a spot ZEC ETF and began trading on NYSE Arca on August 25, marking the first U.S. spot Zcash ETF offering. The conversion comes as crypto ETF expansion accelerates, with Bitwise's Solana staking ETF reporting approximately $45 million in inflows during the first

According to recent Q2 2026 earnings reports released in mid-August, major U.S. retailers including Walmart, Home Depot, Target, and Lowe's received substantial tariff refunds after the Supreme Court ruled in February that tariffs were unauthorized under federal law. Walmart disclosed it was

According to The Energy Mag, Sweden's tax authority has contested input VAT deductions claimed by Northern Data AG and HIVE Digital's Swedish subsidiaries for cryptocurrency mining operations, with disputes extending from 2025 into 2026. HIVE's Bikupa Datacenter subsidiaries received decisions

Strategy's Michael Saylor posted 'We're Back' on X, signaling the company's likely return to Bitcoin buying after a two-month pause. The post follows Saylor's established pattern of weekend social media teasers that precede official Monday treasury purchase announcements. The signal comes as Bitcoin

According to CME Fedwatch, the probability of a September 16 federal funds rate hike jumped to 57% as of August 30, up sharply from 39.9% on August 21. The shift follows Federal Reserve Vice Chair Warsh's Jackson Hole speech on August 28, where he emphasized the Fed's commitment to controlling

Three major Korean securities firms with capital exceeding 8 trillion won each — Mirae Asset Securities, Korea Investment & Securities, and NH Investment & Securities — reported combined total risk amounts of 22.27 trillion won as of June end, a 30.4% increase from 17.07 trillion won a year prior, a

According to MoneyToday, as of August 28, the combined total risk of South Korea's three major securities firms—Mirae Asset Securities, Korea Investment & Securities, and NH Investment & Securities—reached 22.27 trillion won, up 30.4% from 17.07 trillion won a year earlier. The figures underscore

According to President Trump's statement on August 30, the U.S. aims to refill its Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) using Venezuelan crude oil. The SPR has fallen to 290 million barrels, its lowest level since 1982. According to the Wall Street Journal, the U.S. government is pursuing a 35% stake i

According to Jin10, ahead of the September Fed meeting, swap traders are pricing in over 50% odds of a rate hike following Powell's emphasis on disinflation commitment on August 31, but major bond investors including ING Investment Solutions and Brandywine Global Investment Management remain