Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

According to Kiwoong Securities, the brokerage raised semiconductor equipment maker Tes' target price to 250,000 Korean won on July 20, up 303% from the previous target of 62,000 won. The stock was trading at 194,300 won as of the previous close. Analyst Park Yu-ak attributed the upgrade to

According to Zhitong Caijing, Aodong New Energy filed with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange main board on July 19, with Zhaoyin International as sole sponsor. The company is the third-largest battery-swapping operator in China by 2025 revenues from battery-swapping station operation services,

According to Chosun Biz, South Korea's KOSDAQ-listed NQ Chem announced on July 19 that its subsidiary NQ Chem America will undergo a reverse merger with Merger Sub, Inc., a newly formed subsidiary of NASDAQ-listed THE GROWHUB LIMITED. Under the transaction structure, NQ Chem will become a

According to Kobeissi Letter data, leveraged semiconductor ETF assets fell to $100 billion on July 20 from a June peak of approximately $163 billion, representing a 39% decline. Semiconductor ETFs accounted for roughly 63% of all U.S. leveraged ETF outflows during

Hanwha Asset Management ETF Strategy Team leader Lee Su-jin announced on the 20th the team's expansion from 5 to 8 members and plans to launch new active ETF products in the second half. Lee, who joined Hanwha Asset Management last month, leads the team responsible for 'PLUS' ETF research and active

Hanwha Asset Management is expanding its ETF strategy team from five to eight members as the Korean exchange-traded fund market approaches 500 trillion won in assets. Lee Su-jin, who joined the firm last month to lead the ETF strategy team, oversees research and active product management under the

According to Yonhap Infomax, on July 20, TSMC raised its 2026 capital expenditure guidance to $60–64 billion, up from previous forecasts, as artificial intelligence demand drives expansion. The company allocated 70–80% to advanced process technologies and 10–20% to advanced packaging and testing. TS

According to Yonhapinfomax, Hana Asset Management expanded its ETF strategy team from 5 to 8 members on July 20, as the company moves to strengthen active ETF capabilities. The expansion aligns with South Korea's recent regulatory easing that exempts active ETFs from correlation coefficient

According to financial investment industry sources, on July 16, the Bank of Korea's Monetary Policy Committee raised the base rate by 0.25% to 2.75%, the first increase in 3.5 years. Analysts project the rate hike will have limited direct impact on securities firms' debt securities holdings, as

Korean stocks suffered their steepest single-day decline in months on July 16, with the KOSPI index plunging 463.81 points or 6.37% to close at 6,820.60, triggering the 37th circuit breaker of the year. The selloff was driven by sharp losses in semiconductor heavyweights Samsung Electronics

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix stocks fell sharply in pre-market trading on May 20, with Samsung Electronics down 4.71% to 243,000 won and SK Hynix declining 5.43% to 1,742,000 won as of 8:07 AM in Nextrade pre-market sessions. The declines followed weakness in US and Japan

According to Seoul Gyeongje reporting, on July 20, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix fell over 5% in premarket trading. Samsung traded at 242,000 Korean won, down 5.10%, while SK Hynix declined 5.59% to 1,739,000 Korean won. The declines followed overnight weakness in U.S. semiconductor stocks,

Samsung Biologics signed an acquisition agreement with PolyPeptide Group on the 20th for approximately 2.7 trillion won. The deal represents the largest merger and acquisition in Korea's pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. Samsung Biologics plans to acquire 100% equity through majority

According to TSMC Chief Financial Officer Jonathan Huang, the company plans to distribute dividends in U.S. dollars to foreign investors starting in 2027.

Alutec, the largest shareholder of KOSDAQ-listed KPTEU, disclosed on July 20 a tender offer to acquire 1 million shares (17.46% stake) of KPTEU at 4000 won per share, totaling 4 billion won, according to the Financial Supervisory Service electronic disclosure system. The move follows KPTEU's

According to Securities Times, China's Securities Regulatory Commission is holding a roundtable meeting today, with multiple market institutions in attendance. The institutions received notice from regulators yesterday to participate in the session aimed at promoting stable and healthy market

SpaceX short sellers have gained approximately $5 billion in paper profits as the company's stock price declined rapidly following its initial public offering (IPO), according to data from Business Insider

According to Yonhapinfomax CP and short-term bond issuance statistics, 22 securities firms issued a combined 11.19 trillion Korean won (KRW) in commercial papers and short-term bonds during the week of July 13-17. Korea Investment Securities led issuances with 3.694 trillion KRW, followed by Mirae A

According to Business Insider and S3 data, SpaceX short-sellers have accumulated approximately $5 billion in paper gains since the company's IPO on July 19. The stock has fallen below its $135 offering price, closing last week at $123.99. S3 estimates approximately 192 million shares, or

US Stocks fell on 17th (local time) as the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.77% to 52,146.42, the S&P 500 declined 1.01% to 7,457.69, and the Nasdaq Composite slid 1.40% to 25,520.24. The decline was triggered by Chinese AI startup Moonshot AI's release of the high-performance AI model