Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

According to Yonhapinfomax CP and short-term bond issuance statistics, 22 securities firms issued a combined 11.19 trillion Korean won (KRW) in commercial papers and short-term bonds during the week of July 13-17. Korea Investment Securities led issuances with 3.694 trillion KRW, followed by Mirae A

According to Business Insider and S3 data, SpaceX short-sellers have accumulated approximately $5 billion in paper gains since the company's IPO on July 19. The stock has fallen below its $135 offering price, closing last week at $123.99. S3 estimates approximately 192 million shares, or

US Stocks fell on 17th (local time) as the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.77% to 52,146.42, the S&P 500 declined 1.01% to 7,457.69, and the Nasdaq Composite slid 1.40% to 25,520.24. The decline was triggered by Chinese AI startup Moonshot AI's release of the high-performance AI model

Osstem Implant, a dental implant company acquired by private equity firm MBK Partners, is facing restructuring controversy after multiple employees reported receiving job reassignment notices. According to investment banking industry sources on the 20th, the company recently eliminated existing

According to Hana Securities analyst Kim Rok-ho, TSMC reported Q2 2026 results on July 16 with revenue of $40.2 billion, up 34% year-over-year and 12% quarter-over-quarter, exceeding market expectations. Gross margin reached 67.7%, a record high surpassing the company's guided range. AI server and

According to Asia Economics, on July 16, South Korea's KOSPI index fell 4.45% to 6,960.50 amid broader market weakness, while the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index dropped 4.3% overnight. U.S. markets closed lower on July 17, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average down 0.77% to 52,146.42, the S&P 500

According to CNBC, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) committed an additional $100 billion to accelerate capacity at its Arizona factory on Thursday, July 16, 2026, bringing total investment in the U.S. state to $265 billion. Chief Financial Officer Wendell Huang told CNBC the company

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