Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

According to Korean Economic TV, on August 12, LG Electronics surged 13% to close at 205,000 won, rebounding from a low of 141,900 won on July 29. The stock recovery outpaced major semiconductor peers including Samsung Electronics (up 6.68%) and SK Hynix (up 5.54%). The rally is attributed to

According to Yonhap Infomax, Meritz Financial Holdings announced on August 12 that it achieved a record half-year net profit of 1.4716 trillion Korean won (approximately $1.1 billion USD), up 8.3% year-over-year. The company's second quarter net profit reached 791.4 billion won, marking its

According to Yonhap Infomax, Meritz Securities reported operating profit of 245.7 billion Korean won in Q2 2026 (announced August 12), down 18.2% year-over-year. Net profit for the same period rose 1.4% to 259.7 billion Korean won. For the first half of 2026, the company's consolidated operating pro

Individual investors in South Korea shifted their exchange-traded fund positions during the one-month period from July 10 to August 11, net purchasing 744.1 billion won in KODEX Leverage and 433.2 billion won in KODEX KOSDAQ150 Leverage while net selling 282.3 billion won in KODEX 200 Futures

According to KOSCOM ETF CHECK, South Korean retail investors shifted from betting on market declines to buying leveraged ETFs in the latest month (July 10–Aug 11). Individual investors net purchased 744.1 billion won in KODEX Leverage, the largest individual net buying volume across all ETFs in the

South Korea's Financial Services Commission approved stricter deviation rate management rules for exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and exchange-traded notes (ETNs) effective from the 19th, alongside mandatory mock trading requirements for single-stock leveraged and inverse products. The regulatory chang

According to the Financial Services Commission, South Korea will significantly strengthen divergence rate management standards for ETFs and ETNs effective August 19. Domestic products' divergence rate limits will tighten from 3% to 2%, while overseas products will decrease from 6% to 5%. The FSC

According to Korea Exchange, on August 12, South Korean semiconductor equipment stocks surged following strong earnings from major U.S. technology companies. Miraeindus rose 15.64% to 8,650 won, while inspection equipment maker Neosem climbed 9.45% to 11,230 won. Other equipment manufacturers also g

Spot silver advanced 2.00% during today's trading session (August 12), reaching $65.97 per ounce.

According to Jin10, on August 12, Federal Reserve officials signaled hawkish stances toward inflation. Governor Collins stated support for a September rate hike if inflation remains elevated, while Governor Goolsbee identified inflation as the economy's greatest challenge. Meanwhile, the Japanese

Shanghai silver futures contracts (main contract) extended intraday gains to 2.00% on August 12, trading at 16,179 yuan per kilogram.

New York NYMEX silver futures stood at $66 per ounce on August 12, up 1.76% intraday. The session marked continued strength in the precious metals complex amid broader market conditions.

The Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises held a regulatory innovation forum on the 12th in Seoul, attended by Prime Minister Han Sung-sook, to request revisions to stricter KOSDAQ delisting criteria that took effect July 1. The SME association argued that market volatility is causing

According to Jin10 Futures, the CFETS-NEX CNY funding sentiment index fell to 48 as of 14:30 on August 12, down 1 point from 10:15. Large banks, mid-sized banks, and non-bank institutions reported sentiment indices of 47, 49, and 47 respectively, each declining by 1 point. (Index ranges from 0–100;

Arafura Rare Earths launched the Nolans Project in July in Australia's Northern Territory, establishing an integrated rare earth mining, separation, and refining operation. The project aims to supply rare earth materials to the United States, Europe, and Asia, challenging China's dominance in the

According to Mirae Asset Securities on August 12, the South Korean brokerage firm recorded consolidated net profit of 1.9 trillion won in the second quarter of 2026, achieving two consecutive quarters exceeding 1 trillion won in net profit for the first time in the securities industry. Q2 pretax pro

According to Newtalk News and Japan Economy Newspaper, Australia launched the Nolans Project in July 2026 to establish an integrated rare earth supply chain from mining to refining, aiming to provide alternatives to Chinese-dominated markets. The project, operated by Arafura Rare Earths in Australia

According to market reports, South Korea's government on August 12 specified that the Honam semiconductor fab will complete its first phase in 2029 and outlined a power supply plan to support the regional semiconductor cluster. The announcement boosted construction and semiconductor-related stocks l

US Treasury 30-year yields reached 5.28% on the 11th, marking a 19-year high, before settling around 5.24% as the market awaited July CPI data. Hyperscaler companies including Alphabet, Meta, Oracle, and Amazon raised over $200 billion through corporate bond issuance this year, more than double

Choi Hye-ryeong, former Chief Financial Officer of Kakao, joined Shinhan Asset Management as head of new business in early last month, according to the financial investment industry on the 12th. The Credit Suisse veteran will oversee digital asset strategy and global business expansion at the