Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

The S&P 500 Energy sector closed at a record high of 972.345 points today, up 1.79%, surpassing its previous closing record of 962.270 points set on March 27. The sector is approaching the intraday record of 976.539 points reached on March 30.

Foreign investors net purchased 8.156 trillion won in Korean stocks over five consecutive trading days from August 11 to August 18, driving the KOSPI index upward. During this period, the KOSPI rose over 500 points from the 6300 level to close at the 6800 level on August 18, according to Korea

According to Korea Exchange, foreign investors made net purchases of 8.156 trillion won in KOSPI stocks over the past 5 trading days through August 18, driving the benchmark index to rise more than 500 points. The index closed at 6,800 on August 18, rebounding from earlier gains above 7,200 amid

According to ChainCatcher, U.S. stock indices fell on August 18. The Dow Jones dropped 116.2 points to 53,343.58, down 0.22%; the S&P 500 fell 53.15 points to 7,691.91, down 0.69%; the Nasdaq Composite declined 355.2 points to 26,289.71, down 1.33%, according to Gate's market

On Tuesday, August 18, most U.S. sector ETFs declined. The semiconductor ETF fell 4.09%, the global technology stock index ETF dropped 3.08%, and the technology sector ETF decreased 2.47%. Energy sector ETF was the sole gainer,

According to Bloomberg, the Electric Vehicle Price Return Index fell 2.50% to 3453.81 points on Tuesday, August 18. The index remained in downward momentum throughout the day, with declines accelerating around 10:00 a.m. Beijing time and continuing to expand following the U.S. market

Diesel fuel prices in the US surged 54% from January to mid-August, climbing from $3.53 per gallon to $5.454 per gallon. The spike is driven by the ongoing conflict in Iran affecting the Strait of Hormuz, which carries an estimated 20% of global oil traffic, combined with refinery disruptions in

Mexico implemented tariff increases on selected Chinese products at the start of 2026, following Senate approval of measures proposed by President Claudia Sheinbaum in September 2025. The tariff overhaul covers approximately 1,463 tariff lines—about 12% of Mexico's tariff schedule—with rates

The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil lawsuit on August 18 against Daniel Chu, founder of Tricolor Holdings, and two former executives. The complaint, filed in Manhattan federal court, accuses them of defrauding investors through more than $800 million in fabricated auto-loan

According to US Energy Information Administration (EIA) data, diesel prices have surged 54% since January, rising from $3.53 per gallon to $5.454 by mid-August 2026. August is tracking to become the most expensive August on record, with prices averaging around $5.40 per gallon. The spike is

The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil lawsuit against Daniel Chu, founder of Tricolor Holdings, on August 18, 2026, accusing him and two former executives of defrauding investors through approximately $800 million in fabricated auto-loan receivables funneled through asset-backed

Mexico began implementing increased tariffs on Chinese products at the start of 2026, affecting approximately 1,463 tariff lines—roughly 12% of Mexico's total tariff schedule. The tariff rates range between 20% and 35%, with some categories reaching 50%, covering about $52 billion in annual

According to Syria's official news agency, the export pipeline at Jabusah natural gas plant experienced an explosion on Aug 18, disrupting gas exports. Syrian oil officials attributed the incident to intentional sabotage and confirmed no

Today, the U.S. storage chip index fell 7.5%, while the Philadelphia semiconductor index declined 5.1%. The Nasdaq 100 dropped 1.6%, with CoreWeave, Lumentum, and Teradyne leading declines at 11.8%, 10%, and 9.8% respectively. The S&P 500 fell 0.6%, with technology sector sliding 2%. Energy was the

According to trade.xyz, Cloudflare (NET) went live today with support for 10x leverage and around-the-clock trading available 365 days a year.

According to Jin10, the U.S. Dollar Index rose 0.02% to close at 99.657 on August 19 at the close of New York forex trading. At the same time, the euro strengthened to 1.1576 per dollar; the British pound weakened to 1.3534 per dollar; the yen rose to 159.60 per dollar; the Swiss franc climbed to 0.

Spot gold fell below $4,350 per ounce today, declining 1.51% within the 24-hour period.

According to Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter, CCC Intelligent Solutions stock surged 14% today as automotive retailer Copart joined the bidding process for the software company.

Metaplanet announced today it is acquiring a controlling stake in Nasdaq-listed Super League Enterprise for approximately $134.6 million, comprising 2,100 Bitcoin (worth roughly $132.1 million) and $2.5 million in cash. The transaction is targeted to close in Q4 2026, with Metaplanet obtaining appro