Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

Iran's rial fell to about 1.95 million per dollar on July 20, breaking the previous record of 1.9 million set May 4. The decline followed renewed US pressure and the collapsing ceasefire that briefly stabilized the region in June. The International Monetary Fund now expects Iran's economy to

South Africa's economy has demonstrated notable resilience amid the renewed Israel-Iran conflict, with the rand holding up better than during past global shocks. This resilience stems from deliberate policy credibility measures: a lower inflation target, a primary budget surplus that has widened

WTI crude oil and Brent crude oil pulled back intraday on July 20, with gains narrowing to approximately 1%. WTI was trading at $83.16 per barrel, while Brent crude oil was at $87.63 per barrel.

According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), U.S. average retail gasoline prices reached $4 per gallon on July 20, driven by renewed military tensions in the Middle East region.

According to Iran International and the IMF, Iran's rial hit a record low of 1.95 million per dollar on July 20, marking a sharp decline from the prior record of 1.9 million set on May 4. The International Monetary Fund now projects Iran's economy will contract 6.1% in 2026, reversing earlier

According to Busisiwe Mavuso, CEO of Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA), three major credit rating agencies upgraded South Africa's sovereign credit rating between November 2025 and June 2026, reflecting improved policy credibility. S&P raised South Africa's long-term foreign currency credit ra

According to Jin10, Shanghai Gold's midday spot price on July 20 (Monday) was 873.46 yuan per gram, 0.64 yuan lower than the international gold price of 874.1 yuan per gram.

Samsung Asset Management, Mirae Asset Global Investments, and Korea Investment Management spent a combined 145.76 million won on SpaceX-related ETF advertising between May 1 and June 12, according to data submitted to Democratic Party lawmaker Kang Jun-hyun by the Financial Supervisory Service and t

Korean stock market investor deposits decreased by nearly 30 trillion won over one month amid heightened volatility, according to data from the Korea Financial Investment Association. As of the 15th, investor deposits stood at 109.87 trillion won, down approximately 21% from 139 trillion won

According to data presented by Democratic Party parliamentarian Kang Jun-hyun on July 20, three major South Korean asset management firms—Samsung Asset Management, Mirae Asset Asset Management, and Korea Investment Trust Management—spent a combined 145.76 million won on SpaceX-related ETF

Individual investors in South Korea accumulated over 35 trillion won in domestic stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in recent weeks, even as investor deposits declined by approximately 30 trillion won amid increased market volatility. The decline in deposits reflects capital redirection into

According to Jin10 Futures and Mu Lian Research, New Zealand pine logs arrivals at 13 major Chinese ports totaled approximately 387,000 cubic meters this week (July 20-26), down 15,000 cu.m or 4% week-over-week. Scheduled shipments declined to 11 vessels from 12 last week, a decline

According to Shanghai Gold Exchange data, gold T+D closed up 0.25% at 872.9 yuan per gram on Monday, July 20, while silver T+D rose 1.71% to 13,709 yuan per kilogram.

According to HSBC economists, artificial intelligence is likely to have more direct inflation effects on South Korea as an upstream hardware supplier. High-tech component and logistics bottlenecks are pushing up producer prices in these key upstream markets. The

According to reports, 24-year-old South Korean university student Lee Seung-ho turned 20 million won into approximately $202,500 using five-fold leverage over four weeks, but the gains were wiped out in the same timeframe. "I can barely breathe," he said. The losses highlight growing concerns

According to SEC Form 4 filings, Circle President and former U.S. CFTC Chair Heath Tarbert has sold CRCL stock 10 times since June 2025, with cumulative sales totaling approximately $30.77 million. The filings

According to CK Hutchison, Watsons' planned London IPO will be delayed to next year due to regulatory and other complex issues in Asia. The health and beauty retailer originally planned to list in Hong Kong and London this autumn, targeting $2 billion in fundraising at a $30 billion valuation. The

According to BlockBeats, Hong Kong Exchanges is considering extending stock trading hours and eliminating the lunch break, as reported on July 20.

Grayscale filed a prospectus supplement on July 17 outlining plans for quarterly cash distributions from Ethereum and Solana staking rewards, with changes to its Solana Staking ETF (GSOL) expected to take effect around August 7, 2026. The filing introduces a mandatory cash distribution model where G

According to ITAR-TASS, part of Gazprom's Salavat Petrochemical Plant facilities damaged in a recent drone attack have been restored.