Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

According to President Trump on July 18, June's consumer price index posted its largest monthly decline in six years, falling below all 67 economists surveyed by Bloomberg. Prices dropped across gasoline, electricity, auto insurance, hotels, and prescription drugs. Real wages rose 0.8% as wage

According to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Strait of Hormuz has been completely closed as of today, July 18, following explosions and fires that engulfed two tankers transiting a mined zone south of the strait. The Iranian military cited recent U.S. military operations as the

According to Zhitong Finance, the Hang Seng Index ADR rose to 24,642.89 points on Friday (July 18), up 0.33% from Hong Kong's market close, while U.S. stocks declined. Large-cap bluechips advanced: HSBC Holdings gained 0.64% to 157.901

According to Onchain Lens, a whale wallet recently received 1001 BTC worth approximately $64 million. The wallet previously purchased over $290 million in Bitcoin through Galaxy Digital last year and remains active on-chain.

According to overseas brokers, the USD/KRW 1-month non-deliverable forward (NDF) rate rose to 1,487.15 won (mid-price) overnight on July 18, up 9.50 won from the previous Seoul forex market spot close of 1,478.50 won after accounting for swap points. The bid was set at 1,487.00 won and the ask at 1,

According to Bloomberg, on July 18, Bank of America appointed Sonali Theisen as global digital assets platform head, tasked with designing, developing, scaling and governing the platform while driving integration with traditional financial infrastructure. Theisen will maintain her concurrent role as

SPDR Gold Trust, the world's largest gold ETF, reduced its holdings by 2.854 tons compared to the previous day, bringing current holdings to 999.024 tons.

According to ZhiTong Finance, Hang Seng Index July futures closed at 24,602 points on July 18, up 132 points or 0.539%, trading at a premium of 40 points. Open interest totaled 131,157 contracts, down 1,509 contracts from the previous

According to Zhitong Caijing App, on July 18, the Hang Seng Index warrant bull-bear ratio stood at 51:49. Bear warrant concentration was heaviest in the 25,200–25,299 strike range with 784 contracts, up 452 from the previous trading day. Bull warrant concentration peaked in the 23,600–23,699 range w

Bitcoin and Ethereum experienced significant price volatility this week as the cryptocurrency market responded to US consumer price index (CPI) data and escalating Middle East geopolitical tensions. Bitcoin fell below $63,000 on the 13th following leverage liquidation, briefly recovered

Hansung Enterprise, a 63-year-old Korean food manufacturer listed on KOSPI, recorded an 8-day consecutive stock surge from the 6th, with shares climbing 213% from 4,230 won to 13,260 won by the 15th. The rally occurred as the Financial Services Commission announced plans to delist KOSPI companies wi

HL Genomics will list on South Korea's KOSDAQ market on July 24 with an offering price of 21,500 won, while two other companies prepare for institutional demand forecasting during the week of July 20-24. The API pharmaceutical company recorded 19 consecutive years of profitability and

According to onchain metrics and market data this week, Bitcoin dropped below $63,000 due to leverage liquidations on July 13, then recovered to $65,000 following lower-than-expected U.S. CPI data, before retreating to the $63,000 level as Middle East geopolitical risks intensified. Despite price

According to Yonhapnews, on July 24, HLG Genomics, a high-value active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) producer, listed on South Korea's KOSDAQ market, raising approximately 55.1 billion Korean won at 21,500 won per share. The company recorded 19 consecutive years of profitability, with last year's

According to Hankyung, Hansung Enterprise stock surged 213% over 8 consecutive trading days from July 6-15, driven by viral social media sentiment celebrating the food manufacturer as a "patriotic company." The stock price climbed from 4,230 Korean won on July 6 to 8,460 won by July 10, with consecu

Gold, which hit record highs earlier this year amid expectations of serving as a safe haven, is now facing renewed pressure on its recovery. Despite persistent Middle East conflicts and geopolitical risks remaining unresolved, global stock markets including the U.S. and Japan have continued their

According to Bank of America analyst Vivek Arya, the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX-US) fell 18.6% in July 2026, marking its worst month since November 2008. However, Arya characterized the decline as a seasonal correction rather than a fundamental shift in the AI investment thesis. Bank of Americ

The Government Service Insurance System acquired a 7.5% stake in Citicore Renewable Energy Corp. GSIS disclosed the transaction to the Philippine Stock Exchange on July 3, 2026. The investment focuses on management's capital allocation

HSBC upgraded Apple to buy from hold on Thursday, raising its price target to $366 from $260, according to analyst Nicolas Cote-Colisson. The bank expects Apple Intelligence and the next-generation AI Siri to drive a new upgrade cycle, positioning the company to challenge a $5 trillion market cap. H

According to Korea Securities Depository, SK Hynix announced on July 18 that mutual conversion between its Korean-listed shares and U.S. Nasdaq ADRs will be available starting July 29, the listing date of new ADR shares. The conversion will allow investors and Citibank, the depositary institution, t