Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

According to MarketWatch, Bank of America's analyst team led by Michael Hartnett warned on Friday (Sept. 25) that rapid acceleration in bond market volatility signals potential sharp stock market decline. The MOVE index, which measures expected volatility in U.S. Treasury markets, surged 33% over

According to Kookmin Bank's AI asset management center on September 27, the U.S. dollar to South Korean won exchange rate is forecast to rise to 1,407 won by mid-October from current 1,300 won levels. The AI model, which analyzes variables including the dollar index, U.S. Treasury yields, S&P 500 in

KODEX200, a Korean exchange-traded fund tracking the KOSPI200 index, delivered an 80.76% return from January 2 to September 20, rising from 60,460 won to 109,285 won and outperforming all major investment categories tracked by Daishin Securities. The ETF maintained its lead despite the KOSPI200 inde

According to Daishin Securities, KODEX 200 ETF, which tracks South Korea's KOSPI 200 index, delivered an 80.76% return through September 20, 2026, ranking first among major investment products year-to-date. The ETF's gain is 40.6 times higher than the 1.99% return on one-year fixed deposits. WTI

Korean securities firms maintain upside potential for the KOSPI stock index post-Chuseok holiday while lowering expectations for the pace of gains in the second half. Major securities firms project the KOSPI upper range at 8,000 to 9,000 for the second half, with some firms recently downgrading

After the Chuseok holiday break, South Korea's major brokerage firms are maintaining a bullish bias on the KOSPI but have lowered expectations for rapid gains, according to Yonhapnews TV. Most brokerages kept their year-end targets in the 8,000-9,000 point range, though some recently downgraded

Five major South Korean banks reported household loan balances of 780.2491 trillion won as of the 22nd, down 1.87 trillion won from the end of last month, according to financial sector data released on the 27th. Both mortgage and credit loans declined in tandem, marking the first monthly decrease

Five major South Korean banks recorded an average interest rate of 5.01% on newly issued minus accounts (credit line loans) in July, marking the first time rates exceeded 5% since January of the previous year. Hana

According to Yonhapinfomax, the combined household loan balance at South Korea's five major banks—KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana, Woori, and NH Nonghyup—fell to 780.2 trillion won on September 22, down 1.87 trillion won from the previous month. Mortgage loan balances decreased 0.502 trillion won, while p

According to South Korea's Financial Supervisory Service data reported by Yonhapinfomax on September 27, the five major banks' (KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana, Woori, and NH Nonghyup) average overdraft account rates re-entered 5% territory in July, reaching 5.01% based on new origination rates. The

According to the CFTC, on September 24, the agency updated its crypto asset FAQ to permit futures commission merchants to invest client funds in licensed tokenized assets, provided the assets grant holders equivalent legal and economic rights to traditional forms and are held in compliant custody in

According to Yonhap Infomax, the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE) on September 27 formally backed 24-hour trading for U.S. stock markets. WFE CEO Nandini Sukumar sent an official letter to SEC Chair Paul Atkins supporting the extended trading schedule, noting that extended hours would improve mar

Smart ring manufacturer Oura filed IPO registration documents (S-1) with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on the 3rd, targeting a potential valuation up to $160 billion (approximately 22 trillion won) according to Bloomberg reports. The valuation represents four times the $4.1 billi

According to Bloomberg, smart ring maker Oura filed for IPO with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on September 3, targeting a valuation of up to $16 billion—approximately four times the $4.1 billion valuation Fitbit received at its 2015 IPO. The South Korean company markets itself as a "h

Lee Ho-seok, a fund manager at Woori Asset Management, achieved a 191.4% return in the first half with his 'WON Semiconductor Value Chain Active ETF', ranking first among domestic semiconductor active ETFs in Korea. The team leader of Woori Asset Management's Stock Management Team 2 attributes his s

Lee Ho-seok of Woori Asset Management achieved a 191.4% return in the first half with his 'WON Semiconductor Value Chain Active ETF', ranking first among domestic semiconductor active ETFs. The fund's performance was driven by strong semiconductor sector gains during the period. Lee, who has

Foreign and retail investors in South Korea displayed opposing ETF trading strategies from the 1st to 23rd, with foreign investors purchasing KRW 214.4 billion of leveraged products while retail investors bought KRW 121.7 billion of inverse ETFs. The divergence reflected differing views on the

Four South Korean companies plan initial public offerings in early October. MSBio, which develops biomedical products for tissue reconstruction, targets October 12-13 for retail subscription with a proposed price band of 6,800-7,800 Korean won and planned fundraising of 27.2-31.2 billion won. DTS, a

According to Hankyung Premium 9, Woori Asset Management's 'WON Semiconductor Value Chain Active ETF' delivered a 191.4% return in the first half of 2026, ranking first among domestic active semiconductor ETFs. Fund manager Lee Ho-seok, head of the firm's equity management team, attributed the

According to the Korea Exchange (KRX) and KOSCOM, foreign investors and retail traders pursued opposite strategies in South Korea's leveraged and inverse ETFs during September 1-23. Foreign investors made their largest net purchase of KODEX Leverage ETF at 214.4 billion won, which tracks the