Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

According to Ashley Webb, chief UK economist at Capital Economics, the UK unemployment rate rose from 4.8% in the three months ending May to 4.9% in the three months ending June, with the monthly rate increasing from 4.6% to 5.4%. Webb stated the data reflects a softening labor market, indicating th

At midday close on August 18, China's domestic futures market saw broad gains led by energy and industrial commodities. SC crude oil rose nearly 6%, fuel oil surged over 5%, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) climbed nearly 5%, and ethylene glycol (EG) gained over 4%. Low-sulfur fuel oil (LU),

On Aug 18, European stock indices opened with mixed movements. Germany's DAX30 declined 89.91 points, or 0.34%, to 26,279.75; France's CAC40 fell 17.44 points, or 0.20%, to 8,562.16; and Italy's FTSE MIB dropped 114.98 points, or 0.21%, to 53,472.00. Stoxx50 eased 17.70 points, or 0.27%, to 6,512.75

According to Jin10, Shanghai gold closed at 953.88 yuan per gram on August 18, trading 0.16 yuan per gram below the international gold price of 954.04 yuan per gram.

According to Jin10 Futures, as of 15:00 Beijing time on August 18, spot platinum fell 0.62% while spot palladium gained 0.11% at noon.

KOSPI closed down 108.11 points (1.55%) at 6,869.83 on the 18th, reversing from a strong opening as bond yield concerns swept Asian markets. The index had opened 2% higher at 7,127.77 and reached an intraday peak of 7,216.62 before plunging to 6,788.78 by afternoon close. Market participants

According to Bloomberg, sovereign bond yields across major economies rose to multi-year highs this week. The US 30-year Treasury reached its highest level since 2007, French borrowing costs hit their highest since 2008, and German yields rose to 2011 levels. UK gilt yields approached 6%, while

KOSPI 200 companies recorded their highest operating profit in Q2, driven by strong performance from semiconductor leaders Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. The record results reflect robust earnings across the semiconductor sector, which served as the primary growth engine. Beyond semiconductors, c

According to Yonhapinfomax, South Korea's KOSPI index closed down 1.55% to 6,869.83 on August 18, with the KOSDAQ falling 3.52% to 834.20. The decline followed a sharp rise in Japanese 10-year bond yields to their highest level in approximately 30 years, triggering a regional risk-off sentiment

In Q2 2026, KOSPI 200 enterprises recorded record-high operating profit, driven by strong performance from semiconductor leaders Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. Beyond semiconductors, energy and financial sectors also posted solid results. However, analysts expect second-half earnings to face

KOSPI fell to the 6000-point range after briefly recovering above 7200 during intraday trading. The index closed at 6869.83, down 108.11 points or 1.55%, as foreign investors sharply reduced their buying activity from over 1.5 trillion won in early trading to just 46.7 billion won by market close. T

Tokyo bond market participants are treating a Bank of Japan (BOJ) interest rate hike next month as a foregone conclusion, driven by yen weakness and Middle East instability fueling inflation. Asahi Shimbun reported on the 17th that market sentiment reflects a belief that US Treasury Secretary

Wall Street billionaire investors restructured their Chinese tech stock portfolios in Q2, shifting focus toward AI-driven companies. Stanley Druckenmiller's Duquesne Family Office purchased 88,200 Baidu ADR shares worth approximately $10.1 million, marking the fund's first China tech investment

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) released a report on August 18 forecasting that rising US Treasury yields will have limited impact on Asian foreign exchange and bond markets. The Japanese financial group attributed this resilience to the fact that yield increases reflect improved economic

Options investors are betting on further gold price increases, according to Chris Murphy, co-head of derivatives strategy at Susquehanna. Murphy noted that 1-month implied volatility has remained at recent lows while gold prices have continued rising. This environment allows investors to increase

According to South China Morning Post, major Wall Street investors increased their positions in Chinese technology stocks during the second quarter, signaling a strategic pivot toward AI-focused companies. Stanley Druckenmiller's Dukeaine Family Office purchased 88,200 Baidu ADRs worth

According to Asahi Shimbun on August 17, the Bank of Japan is widely expected to raise rates in September 2026 with an 80% probability, potentially marking the first hike in three months. Market participants view the move as nearly certain, citing yen weakness and Middle East tensions fueling

According to CNBC, options traders are positioning for additional gold price increases on August 18. Chris Murphy, co-head of derivatives strategy at Susquehanna, noted that gold prices have continued rising while one-month implied volatility remains near recent lows, creating an environment where i

Korean retail investors concentrated trading in leveraged index ETFs during the August 3-14 period as KOSPI passed the 7000 level. KODEX Leverage recorded 18.8987 trillion won in trading volume, the highest among all ETFs, while KODEX 200 followed with 17.6623 trillion won. The shift toward risk ass

According to Korea Exchange data, KODEX Leverage recorded trading volume of 18.8 trillion Korean won during August 3-14, ranking as the most-traded ETF this month. The fund tracks twice the daily returns of the KOSPI 200 index. The surge in leveraged ETF activity reflects retail investor optimism as