Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

According to Korea Stock Exchange, South Korea's five major defense stocks—including Hanwha Aerospace, Hyundai Rotem, Korea Aerospace Industries, Hanwha Systems, and LIG Defense and Aerospace—rose an average of 14.9% year-to-date as of July 21, significantly underperforming KOSPI's 55.26% gain.

According to media reports, multiple U.S. asset managers including Direxion and Proshares launched 2x leveraged and inverse ETFs tracking SK Hynix American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) starting July 14. The products generated over $3 billion in cumulative trading volume

According to Taiwan Economic Daily, Central Glass, a TSMC gas supplier, is halting production of high-purity tungsten hexafluoride (WF6). TSMC responded that it maintains a multi-source global procurement strategy and does not expect the move to impact

Lotte Fine Chemical has seen its stock price plunge over 30% in the past three months from a high of 72,200 won recorded on April 29, yet securities firms are raising their target prices for the company. Five major domestic brokerages forecast the chemical manufacturer will achieve second-quarter re

Lotte Shopping, Shinsegae, and Hyundai Department Store stocks declined sharply on the 20th, with the KOSPI distribution sector index falling 6.27%, exceeding the broader KOSPI's 4.46% drop. The declines followed strong year-to-date gains, with analysts attributing the pullback to profit-taking

According to Cointelegraph, Bernstein upgraded Robinhood's target price today (July 21), citing the brokerage's blockchain strategy as a key growth driver. The upgrade reflects expectations that tokenized stocks and Robinhood Chain, built on Arbitrum, will diversify the platform's revenue streams

According to Yonhapnews, on July 20, shares of South Korea's major department store operators fell sharply. Lotte Shopping dropped 10.16%, Hyundai Department Store fell 13.34%, and Shinsegae declined 9.85%. The KOSPI Distribution Index fell 6.27%, outpacing the broader KOSPI's 4.46% decline.

According to Daishin Securities, Samsung BioLogics announced the acquisition of Swiss peptide contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) PolyPeptide on July 21, expanding its business scope beyond antibodies into peptide therapeutics. Analyst Hong Ga-hye initiated coverage with a

According to Yonhap Infomax, on July 21, South Korean brokerages raised price targets for Lotte Fine Chemical, citing strong Q2 earnings expectations. The consensus forecast for Q2 operating profit reached 37.4 billion won, representing a 330% year-over-year increase from 11.3 billion won in the

According to a public letter on July 21, MiryCapital, Gavia's second-largest shareholder holding 24.2%, rejected Macquarie Asset Management's public acquisition offer of 48,000 won per share, arguing it significantly undervalues the company. The investment firm proposed a minimum fair price of 66,20

LS Securities analyst Jung Da-woon issued a report on the 21st recommending investors buy Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix stocks at current low prices following sharp declines amid semiconductor peak concerns. Samsung Electronics

According to Benchmark via The Block on July 21, the investment firm reiterated its buy rating on Exodus Movement while reducing its price target from $23 to $12, citing market underestimation of the company's shift toward stablecoin-based payment infrastructure. Analyst Mark Palmer noted

According to LS Securities analyst Jung Da-woon, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have declined 34.8% and 40.9% year-to-date as of July 21 amid concerns over hyperscalers' capital expenditure returns and competition from Chinese AI models. The analyst noted the companies' valuations have reached

According to ASMPT announcement, on August 11, Yeung Tze-tat will step down as group chief executive officer, with Bassel Haddad appointed to the role and as an executive director. The 51-year-old Haddad brings over 25 years of semiconductor industry experience, including leadership roles in

According to reports on July 21, South Korea's ruling Democratic Party urged the Financial Services Commission (FSC) on July 20 to strengthen monitoring of single-stock leveraged ETFs and consider implementing additional measures if necessary. Party officials met with FSC leadership, including

Strategy, the world's largest corporate Bitcoin holder, raised approximately $263.5 million through an at-the-market (ATM) sale of 2,732,318 Class A common shares (MSTR) during July 13-19, according to an 8-K filing submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on July 20. The

According to its SEC 8-K filing on July 20, MicroStrategy raised $263.5 million through share sales from July 13–19, selling 2.73 million Class A shares (MSTR). The company did not purchase additional Bitcoin during the period, maintaining its holdings at 843,775

According to Bloomberg, South Korea's KOSPI index has recorded volatility exceeding 60% as of July 21, nearly double that of Japan's Nikkei 225 and surpassing Bitcoin's typical swings. The Korean exchange has triggered circuit breakers seven times this year, compared to zero instances in 2025 and

Cloud and IT infrastructure firm Gabia's controlling shareholder CEO Kim Hong-guk is pursuing voluntary delisting via a tender offer led by Macquarie Asset Management, but the transaction structure has drawn scrutiny. Macquarie's special purpose vehicle DCK Investment disclosed on July 21 a tender o

UBS Asset Management stated on the 20th (local time) that stocks could continue rising despite concerns over semiconductor sector peaks and escalating Middle East tensions, citing three key supporting factors. The asset manager explained that while market volatility may increase, a positive