Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

The USD-KRW 1-month NDF contract closed at 1,479.20 won in overnight New York trading, down 0.35 won from Seoul's 1,480.40 won close after adjusting for swap points. The Bank of Korea raised rates by 25 basis points the previous day and signaled further hikes. A 4.29% drop in the Philadelphia

According to foreign brokers cited by Yonhapinfomax, the US dollar-won 1-month NDF in New York settled at 1,479.20 won (MID) on July 17, down 0.35 won from the previous Seoul market close of 1,480.40 won at 3:30 p.m. Bid quotes stood at 1,479.00 won and ask quotes at 1,479.40 won.

South Korean life insurance companies recorded increased sales of savings-type insurance in April, reversing a trend that had seen these products sidelined in favor of protection insurance. New contracts for individual savings insurance reached 245,854 cases totaling 14.1923 trillion won in April, u

According to Federal Reserve Vice Chair Jefferson, current monetary policy is in good shape, though he would reconsider the Fed's policy stance if inflation fails to cool down in the near term. Speaking Thursday in prepared remarks for a Stanford event, Jefferson said the Fed's current interest

According to the Korea Life Insurance Association, savings-type insurance new contracts through April 2026 reached 245,854 cases and 141.923 trillion won, up 1,000 cases and 400 billion won year-over-year. The increase comes as the KOSPI index hit 9,000 points, boosting sales of variable annuity ins

According to Jin10 Futures, LPG prices in South China saw narrowing gains on July 17, as downstream inventory remained elevated and buying sentiment weakened. Softer international crude prices and lingering geopolitical uncertainties further dampened market

According to Jin10, on July 17, Federal Reserve official Beth Logan stated the Fed should raise interest rates to combat persistently high inflation. She noted that June inflation data, released Tuesday, shows price growth is moderating but remains insufficient to confirm that inflation has

According to Jin10 Futures, WTI crude oil futures recorded six consecutive gains as of July 17, driven by escalating U.S.-Iran tensions and elevated geopolitical risk premium amid low inventory levels, according to Sun Fukun, deputy general manager of Huayuan Futures. Crude's underlying dynamics

According to SoSoValue data cited by ChainCatcher, XRP spot ETFs received net inflows of $6.7847 million on July 16 (Eastern Time). Bitwise XRP ETF (XRP) led with $4.406 million in daily inflows, bringing its cumulative net inflows to $498 million. Franklin XRP ETF (XRPZ) followed with $2.3787 milli

The Nikkei 225 Index declined 2.1% during intraday trading on July 17, while the Tokyo Stock Exchange Index fell 1.1% over the same period.

According to Yonhapinfomax, the Korean won weakened to 1,482.00 against the U.S. dollar on July 17 morning as a selloff in semiconductor stocks intensified risk-off sentiment. The won lost 1.60 from the previous Seoul close of 1,480.40, though it recovered 5.00 from 24 hours earlier. SK Haixi's U.S.

Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Francis Lim rolled out comprehensive capital market reforms since assuming office in June 2025, targeting bureaucracy reduction and investor confidence restoration. The reforms address the Philippines' lagging capital market through digitalization, fee red

According to Jin10, the Seoul Exchange (Korea Exchange) is closed today, July 17, for Constitution Day, a South Korean national holiday. The market will resume normal trading tomorrow.

ENN Energy Holdings (stock code 02688) closed at HK$42.56 on July 16, representing a 5.19% gain for July after falling 26.3% in June, according to Hong Kong stock market data. The stock's June decline significantly exceeded the Hang Seng Index's 9.14% drop during the same period, as the broader mark

On July 13, according to Rappler, Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Francis Lim unveiled sweeping capital market reforms aimed at rebuilding investor confidence. The initiatives include streamlining corporate registration through the expanded OneSEC portal, cutting document

According to The Block, T. Rowe Price launched TKNZ, its first actively managed multi-token spot crypto ETF, on the NYSE Arca on July 17, nearly nine months after initial filing. The fund started with $15 million in assets and carries a 0.75% management fee. Initial holdings include Bitcoin

According to Bernstein, the firm raised its 2026 gold price target to $4,533 per ounce, citing central banks pursuing reserve diversification and expectations that the Federal Reserve will raise rates at most once or twice over the next

Leveraged exchange-traded funds tracking Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix absorbed over 7.3 trillion won from mid-last month to the 15th of this month, according to Korea Exchange data released on the 17th. The inflows occurred despite sharp declines in the underlying stocks—SK Hynix fell 19.49% and

According to Jin10 Futures, CBOT soybean oil futures closed lower on Thursday, with the benchmark contract declining 0.5%, primarily driven by weak crude oil futures and unwinding of crushing spreads. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's weekly export sales report showed that soybean oil