Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

Since May, foreign investors have been the largest buyers of inverse ETFs in South Korea's exchange-traded fund (ETF) market, according to Yonhapinfomax. Inverse ETFs are financial products designed to profit from stock index declines. Analysts attribute the surge in foreign demand partly to

US stocks investors will focus on second-quarter corporate earnings and June inflation indicators this week amid renewed US-Iran conflict. Trump declared the ceasefire memorandum of understanding with Iran ended, and US military conducted consecutive strikes on Iran, yet WTI August futures

E-Mart faces market scrutiny over potential adjustments to its 2026 sales forecast following the Starbucks Korea controversy. The retail giant originally projected consolidated sales of 29.3 trillion won for 2026 in February, but the unexpected crisis involving its subsidiary SCK Company has

According to Yonhap News, the U.S. and Iran escalated military conflict this week after President Donald Trump declared the ceasefire ended and U.S. forces conducted ongoing airstrikes. While both sides signaled continued hostility, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that "adhering to the

According to Korea Exchange, KOSPI fell 612.40 points (7.57%) to close at 7475.94 on July 10, down from 8088.34 the previous week. Foreign investors net sold 4.34 trillion Korean won, while retail traders and institutions net purchased 3.27 trillion and 832.5 billion won respectively. Analysts

Foreign investors in South Korea's exchange-traded fund market accumulated inverse ETFs as their largest holdings since May, with KODEX 200 Futures Inverse 2X and KODEX Inverse ranking first and third in net foreign purchase volume according to Yonhap Infomax ETF data. The pattern emerged

According to Jin10, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Navy announced early on July 12 that the Strait of Hormuz will be closed effective immediately and no vessels are permitted to transit. The closure announcement came hours after several ships attempted to navigate along routes not approved by Ir

Root Inc., a Columbus, Ohio-based digital auto insurance company, saw its stock price rise 23 times from a 2022 low after transforming its telematics-based underwriting model into sustained profitability. The company, founded in March 2015 by actuary Alex Timm, went public in October 2020 at a $68 b

According to MoneyToday, digital auto insurance provider ROOT Insurance posted record quarterly net income of $359 million in Q1 2026, achieving an annualized return on equity (ROE) of 47%. The company earned 89% of its full-year 2025 net profit in a single quarter, with loss ratios declining to 54.

Strategy Inc. is repositioning its bitcoin holdings from an accumulation asset to collateral supporting STRC preferred stock, Standard Chartered's global head of digital assets research Geoffrey Kendrick

Kim Yong-beom, Presidential Office Policy Chief, stated on the 10th that AI-era semiconductor competition has shifted from technology development to production capacity competition, emphasizing that the most critical resource governments must provide to companies is 'time' rather than fiscal

According to the financial investment industry, South Korean stocks are expected to see volatility this week (July 13-17) amid concerns about whether semiconductors have peaked. Market valuations have fallen to historically low levels, which brokers believe will make stocks more responsive to

Semiconductor stocks experienced significant declines as leveraged capital exits the sector, according to Goldman Sachs analysis reported by Bloomberg TV on the 11th (local time). The investment bank attributed the downturn to unwinding of leveraged positions concentrated in AI-related

According to analyst Kim Nam-hyun, South Korea's bond market weakened last week (July 3-10), with long-term yields rising sharply. The 30-year and 50-year government bond yields reached all-time highs, while the yield curve steepened. Specifically, the 3-year bond yield

According to internal documents reviewed by Reuters, Meta has significantly reduced its AI computing infrastructure building costs to approximately $22 billion per gigawatt—nearly half of Bank of America Securities' prior estimate of $45 billion per gigawatt, analyst Justin Post said. BofA

According to Yonhapinfomax, SK Hynix's American Depositary Receipts (ADR) opened on Nasdaq Global Select Market on July 10 (U.S. time) at $170, significantly above the offering price of $149. The ADR closed at $168.01, up 12.76% from the public offering price. Within the first 30 minutes of

Goldman Sachs portfolio strategist Christian Müller-Glissmann stated on May 11 (local time) on Bloomberg TV that AI-driven earnings surprises appear to be nearing their end. He explained that leverage flows into semiconductor stocks are reversing, making further stock price gains difficult despite s

Stick Investment Credit Division (Stick Credit) purchased 2.5 million shares of KOSDAQ-listed Seojin System from CEO Jeon Dong-gyu for KRW 129.3 billion on July 10, according to Financial Supervisory Service disclosures on July 12. The transaction occurred on the same day CEO Jeon returned to

According to E-Daily, on July 10, 2026, StickCredit, a private equity fund operator, acquired 2.5 million Seojin Systems shares from CEO Jeon Dong-gyou through an off-market transaction for 129.3 billion KRW, or 51,700 KRW per share—a 9.2% premium to that day's closing price. The transaction was

According to Bloomberg TV, on July 11, Goldman Sachs' Chief Equity Portfolio Strategist said AI-driven earnings surprises are entering their final phase. While S&P 500 companies are expected to post 22% earnings growth this quarter versus year-ago levels, investor expectations have already risen