Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

According to Yonhapinfomax, South Korea's central bank raised its benchmark rate for the first time on July 16, with the 1-year IRS (interest rate swap) rate climbing to 3.46%, about 100 basis points above the new benchmark level. The move concluded months of policy signaling that began in May, with

According to IBK Investment & Securities economist Jung Yong-taek on July 16, South Korea's news sentiment index released by the Bank of Korea has turned downward from its first-half peak, signaling an approaching inflection point in economic growth expectations. Jung noted that recent market

On July 16, Taiwan's Weighted Stock Index declined 1% to close at 45,171.46 points.

According to BlockBeats, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink said today (July 16) that he no longer has concerns about excessive leverage in Bitcoin and cryptocurrency markets, and is "very optimistic" about the market outlook for the next 12

According to Tianfeng Securities, on July 16, the investment bank forecasts Brent crude oil to trade in the $70–$75 per barrel range during the second half of 2026. The forecast follows a volatile first half marked by geopolitical risks that drove oil prices to near $120 per barrel before a sharp de

Bitcoin (BTC) saw a slight pullback to $64,612 on July 16; meanwhile, the U.S.-Iran conflict and two major macro factors—Fed policy signals—moved market sentiment in tandem. The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. officials said Trump is leaning toward expanding military operations inside Iran, considering options including expanding airstrikes, dispatching ground forces to seize Khark Island, and bombing the “Hammer Mountain” underground tunnel facilities, but Trump has not yet made a final

Retail brokers face a critical retention challenge in the first 90 days after a client's initial deposit, according to industry executives Brian Myers, CEO of VCG Markets, and Milica Nikolic, Trading Product Operations Team Leader at Exness. New traders experience an early collision between

Taiwan's weighted stock index opened 0.3% lower today, trading at 45,511.98 points according to the Taiwan Stock Exchange.

Platinum main contract futures gained 2.00% intraday on July 16, trading at 413.00 yuan per gram.

On July 16, gold traded on the Shanghai Gold Exchange T+D contract declined 0.28% to 881.06 yuan per gram at the opening of morning trading. Silver T+D contracts fell 2.07%, reaching 13,984.0 yuan per kilogram.

According to BlockBeats, analyst Young-gun Kim from South Korea's Mirae Asset Securities said on July 16 that SK Hynix's recent pullback offers an attractive opportunity to increase exposure to the stock. The analyst attributed the weakness to a sharp decline in optimism around second-quarter

According to The Information on July 15, ASML plans to raise prices on deep ultraviolet (DUV) and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) semiconductor manufacturing equipment by at least 10%, but TSMC is resisting the increase. ASML has informed Chinese chipmakers and other customers of the planned price hike i

The Korean stock market triggered a circuit breaker on July 16 at 09:10:26 as the KOSPI index fell more than 5% in early trading, breaking below the 7,000 level for the second time. The Korea Exchange activated a sell-side sidecar — a temporary halt on program sell orders — after KOSPI200 futures

According to Comecarne, Mexico's meat industry organization, the country has lost approximately $2.8 billion in live cattle exports since the United States closed its border to Mexican cattle in 2024 due to a screwworm outbreak. The screwworm infestation has caused severe damage to Mexico's

Shinhan Securities released a report on July 16 assessing South Korea's external financial soundness through 13 indicators, concluding that the country's external health remains very good despite the foreign exchange reserves-to-short-term external debt ratio surpassing 40%. The analysis addresses m

According to China Galaxy Securities, June U.S. CPI came in at 3.25% year-on-year, with core CPI at 2.6%, both significantly below market expectations of 3.8% and 2.9% respectively. The decline was driven by weaker energy prices following the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, softening tariff

According to a report by Shinheung Securities analyst Cho Yong-gu released on July 16, most of South Korea's 13 external soundness indicators remain at very healthy levels despite short-term external debt climbing above 40% of foreign exchange reserves. As of Q1 2026, foreign exchange reserves

According to Jin10, the CFETS-NEX money market sentiment index reached 57 points on July 16 at 08:45, up 2 points from 16:00 the previous day. Among specific segments, large banks reported 56 points, mid-sized banks 59 points, and non-bank institutions 56 points, each up 2 points.

According to Jin10 Futures, domestic fuel oil prices narrowed overnight on July 16, with upstream support from messaging lacking. Refiners maintained pricing while awaiting market direction, though downstream buyers released demand slowly and remained cautious on higher-priced inventory. Market

Goldman Sachs generated $9.85 billion in equity underwriting revenue for the quarter ending June 30, up 130% year-over-year, marking the highest level among major U.S. banks since 2021. The surge was driven by strong corporate activity, including significant IPO deals and equity-linked