Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

According to the Bank of Korea, South Korea's Q2 real GDP grew 0.6% quarter-on-quarter and 3.7% year-on-year on July 24, beating market expectations. Q2 real GDI increased 15.6% year-on-year, marking the highest growth rate since Q1 1988. The

According to Yonhap Infomax, South Korean brokerage firms are accelerating capital raises this year, with bank-affiliated brokers gaining a competitive edge through parent company support. KB Securities moved to the front rank after raising 700 billion won in the first half, followed by a 1

According to Yonhapinfomax, Align Partners, the second-largest shareholder of JB Financial Group, has proposed a merger between JB Financial and BNK Financial Group. On July 24, the proposal entered formal board discussion at both financial groups. JB Financial held a board meeting while

According to Goldman Sachs, on July 23, Brent crude could exceed $120 per barrel in the fourth quarter if disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz persist, despite weakening Chinese demand limiting upward price pressure.

According to Decrypt, BlackRock released a report on July 24 stating that quantum threats to Bitcoin are manageable and encryption networks maintain defensive advantages. About 35% of circulating Bitcoin faces potential attack risk due to public key exposure. BlackRock announced the formation of a B

According to ChainCatcher, Changxin Memory Technologies, a leading domestic DRAM IDM manufacturer, will officially list on Shanghai Stock Exchange's STAR board on July 27, 2026, with a valuation of approximately 583 billion

According to Jin10 Data, China's central bank conducted 89 billion yuan of 7-day reverse repurchase operations and 500 billion yuan of 1-year medium-term lending facility (MLF) operations on July 24. Combined with 450.5 billion yuan in maturing 7-day reverse repos, the central bank achieved net

According to analysts, oil prices are surging amid escalating Iran geopolitical risks, pushing expectations for higher U.S. interest rates. GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan estimates U.S. gasoline retail prices could rise to $4.15–$4.25 per gallon in coming weeks. The rally has already transmitted t

Hong Kong-listed gold stocks declined sharply on the open today, with Chifeng Gold (06693.HK) and Lingbao Gold (03330.HK) both dropping over 6%, Zijin Gold International (02259.HK) falling over 5%, and Zhaojin Mining (01818.HK) down over 4%. Other major gold stocks including Shandong Gold (01787.HK)

Hana Financial Group postponed its plan to convert Hana Asset Management from a subsidiary of Hana Securities into a direct subsidiary of the holding company, according to sources on the 24th. The restructuring, originally scheduled for Q4 of last year, remains without a concrete timeline as the

Bitcoin (BTC) backs off midweek gains, temporarily trading around $65,040 on July 24. According to an official announcement, crypto exchange BitMEX will officially shut down on September 23 and will stop registering new users starting immediately. Zhizhi Technology signed a non-binding term sheet, agreeing to accept approximately 3,500 BTC (about $220 million) as payment for a new share offering. Macroeconomic Events & Crypto Market Hot Topics 1、According to an official announcement, crypto exch

The People's Bank of China conducted a 7-day reverse repo operation today (July 24), injecting 8.9 billion yuan into the financial system. The operation attracted 8.9 billion yuan in bids with a full allotment at an interest rate of 1.40%, unchanged from the previous operation.

Hyundai Motor stocks fell 6.60% to 403,500 won as of 9:48 AM on the 24th, according to Korea Exchange data. NH Investment & Securities downgraded the company's target price from 860,000 won to 760,000 won, citing uncertainty over the mass production timeline

Japanese Finance Minister Katayama Koichi referenced a U.S. Treasury Department foreign exchange report today (July 24) that mentioned a Japan-U.S. joint statement. According to the statement, excessive exchange rate volatility is

According to Korea Exchange and NH Investment Securities, Hyundai Motor shares fell 6.60% to 403,500 won on July 24 morning as the brokerage downgraded its price target from 860,000 won to 760,000 won. NH Investment Securities cited uncertainty over the timing of humanoid robot mass production and s

Kim Seong-hwan, Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment, warned on the 24th that a renewable-only energy approach could raise electricity rates significantly. Speaking on CBS radio's '박성태의 뉴스쇼', Kim stated that eliminating coal power and relying solely on renewable energy could push rates

China's yuan weakened 33 basis points to 6.7939 against the U.S. dollar at today's midpoint fixing on July 24, marking the largest single-day decline since June 18, 2026.

According to Huatai Futures, on July 24, SC crude oil futures opened slightly lower with gains narrowing to 5%, while low-sulfur fuel oil (LU) and fuel oil rallies stayed below 2%. The recent spike has been primarily driven by geopolitical tensions, including the Strait of Hormuz closure, CPC

Korean listed REITs experienced widening price polarization this month as declining trading volume amplified the impact of exchange-traded fund rebalancing. The KOSPI Real Estate Index, which includes listed REITs, rose 1.94% this month to 870.74, with total market capitalization reaching 8.6086

According to Yonhapinfomax, South Korea's KOSPI Real Estate Index rose to 870.74 on July 24, up 1.94% for the month, with a market capitalization of 8.6 trillion Korean won. However, the recovery remained modest compared to prior declines—the index fell 15.44% in May and 5.09% in June, eroding