Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

According to Jin10, Brent crude oil futures broke through $90 per barrel on July 19 as markets resumed trading following U.S.-Iran military clashes in the Middle East. The price surge reflects heightened geopolitical tensions in the

NH Investment & Securities released a report on the 20th analyzing recent extreme volatility in Korean stocks, concluding the bull market is not over despite the KOSPI dropping 25.2% from its peak to 6820 on the 16th of this month. Analyst Na Jeong-hwan attributed the volatility to concentration in

According to an NH Investment & Securities report on July 20, South Korea's KOSPI index soared 101% in the first half of 2026 but fell 25.2% to 6,820 within just two weeks after hitting its monthly peak. The VKOSPI volatility index reached 96.9, surpassing crisis-era highs from 2008 (89.3) and the p

According to Nomura strategist Naka Matsuzawa in a report on Friday (July 17), the market is grappling with four potential scenarios that could derail AI investments. Beyond the previously identified concerns—cloud giants overspending, elevated memory costs, and central bank tightening—Nomura

Hana Securities researcher Kim Du-eon stated on the 21st that the recent KOSPI decline resulted from excessive capital concentration in semiconductor stocks and leverage investment withdrawals, rather than a semiconductor industry cycle peak. The report identified foreign investor profit-taking and

UBS and Barclays maintained bullish stances on the artificial intelligence investment cycle on May 19 (local time), despite semiconductor stocks experiencing a nearly 10% weekly decline, according to CNBC. UBS cited persistent AI-driven computing demand exceeding supply capacity and forecast 92% ear

Big Tech companies face mounting pressure to demonstrate artificial intelligence investment returns through earnings results as semiconductor stocks plunged last week. The S&P500 index fell 1.6% and the Nasdaq100 declined 4.1% last week, while the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index dropped 10% in

Samsung Electro-Mechanics saw its stock price decline over 40% from recent highs, but Hana Securities forecasts a rebound driven by prolonged supply shortages in multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC) and flip-chip ball grid array (FCBGA) substrates. Analyst Kim Min-kyung issued a report on the 20th m

According to Hana Securities, KOSPI's recent sharp decline is driven by deleveraging and foreign profit-taking, not a chip cycle slowdown. Samsung's Q2 operating profit surged roughly 19x year-over-year, while TSMC's earnings grew 77%, yet both stocks fell following earnings releases as market

According to reports covered by CNBC on July 19, semiconductor stocks declined nearly 10% last week—the worst week since April 2025—despite a broad market decline. However, UBS and Barclays maintained that the AI investment cycle remains robust. UBS stated that computing demand driven by AI

According to Bloomberg, last week U.S. stock indices fell sharply on concerns over AI investment returns. The S&P 500 dropped 1.6%, Nasdaq 100 fell 4.1%, and the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) plunged 10%—its worst week since April 2025. Big Tech earnings releases begin this week on

According to Hana Securities, Samsung Electro-Mechanics stock has fallen more than 40% from recent highs, but the brokerage maintains a BUY rating with a 3 million won price target. The outlook is supported by expectations that multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) and flip chip ball grid array

According to Ajou Economy, South Korean retail investors have made net purchases totaling 35.8 trillion won since July 22, comprising 27 trillion won in individual stocks and 8.8 trillion won in domestic stock ETFs. The buying activity has concentrated in semiconductor leaders, with SK Hynix

Gate News: According to the latest Gate TradFi data, XTIUSD (WTI Crude USOIL) has surged by 2% in a short period. Current volatility is significantly higher than recent averages, indicating increased market

On July 16, South Korea's government announced a policy framework officially titled 'Single-Stock Leverage Supplementary Measures' to address rapid expansion in leveraged derivative trading. According to the government statement, the policy focuses on controlling growth in single-stock leverage

During South Korea's holiday period on July 16, the KOSPI index fell below 7,000 and semiconductor stocks plummeted amid global sector weakness, according to E Daily. Securities analysts attributed the decline to psychological and liquidity-driven factors rather than deteriorating fundamentals,

Life Asset Management, led by 'first-generation value investor' Lee Chae-won, received public fund management license from the Financial Services Commission recently. The approval enables the firm to expand its engagement-based hedge fund strategies, previously validated in the private market, to re

According to Shanghai official data and Jin10 on July 20, Shanghai's main financial markets posted combined transaction volume of 2,269.16 trillion yuan in the first half of 2026, up 24.1% year-over-year. The Shanghai Futures

New Zealand's 12-month trade deficit worsened to NZD 37.5 billion in June, according to official trade statistics. The previous reading was revised downward to NZD 36.1 billion from an initially reported NZD 33.67 billion.

New Zealand's imports for June reached 8.07 billion NZD, according to official trade data. The prior month's reading was revised to 8.07 billion NZD from the previously reported 8.08 billion NZD.