Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

Daol Investment & Securities resumed coverage on Hanwha Systems on the 18th with a 'buy' rating and a target price of 118,000 won, citing the company's US shipbuilding business as a new growth driver alongside its stable defense operations. The target represents 46.9% upside from the closing price o

According to its announcement today, Duos Technologies Group (Nasdaq: DUOT) and Axe Compute Inc. (Nasdaq: AGPU) executed five-year hosting service agreements valued at over $500 million. The deals cover 55 megawatts of total AI facility capacity across multiple U.S. data center sites, with billing c

According to LS Securities, Rino Industrial reported record-high second-quarter earnings on August 18, with revenue rising 27.3% year-over-year to 143.2 billion KRW and operating profit surging 37.6% to 73.5 billion KRW. Analyst Jeong Hong-sik attributed the growth to sustained high demand and

On August 18, Daol Investment Securities resumed coverage of Hanwha Systems with a buy rating and a target price of 118,000 won, implying 46.9% upside from the August 14 closing price of 80,300 won. The brokerage expects the company's U.S. shipbuilding business, including Hanwha

According to NextTrade pre-market data as of 8:05 AM on August 18, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix led gains amid strength in U.S. semiconductor stocks. South Korea's KOSPI benchmark has rebounded over 20% from its late-July low, supported by improved foreign investor inflows and broad sector stren

Duquesne Family Office significantly increased AI-related big tech and semiconductor holdings in Q2, per an SEC 13F filing dated June 30. Led by Stanley Druckenmiller, the fund concentrated bets on Amazon, Alphabet, and core foundry firms. The portfolio expansion occurred just before U.S. tech and s

NH Investment & Securities maintained a BUY rating on SK Square stocks while lowering its target price from 2.7 million won to 2.28 million won on the 18th. Analyst 안재민 attributed the downgrade to SK Hynix's recent one-month stock correction, which prompted an increase in the net asset value (NAV) d

DS Investment & Securities maintained a target price of 37,000 won and a BUY rating for HJ Heavy Industries (stock code 097230) on the 18th, citing commercial ship order scaling and potential military vessel exports in the second half. The brokerage's analyst Kim Dae-sung projected continued

According to DS Investment Securities on August 18, the brokerage maintained its BUY rating and 37,000 won price target for HJ Industries (ticker: 097230), citing strong specialty shipbuilding order momentum and potential military vessel exports in the second half of 2026. The stock closed at 17,900

According to Guru Club, U.S. stock indices fell overnight on August 18, with storage and optical communication sectors defying the downward trend. WTI crude oil surged above $90 per barrel amid escalating Middle East tensions. Additionally, the 30-year U.S. Treasury yield reached its highest level i

Hana Securities issued a report on the 18th recommending overweight positions in automotive, transportation, secondary batteries, and other sectors where foreign ownership has declined from peak levels. Analyst Lee Jae-man cited US manufacturing expansion alongside inflation decline as creating cond

According to Yonhapinfomax CP and short-term bond issuance statistics, 23 securities firms in South Korea issued a combined 7.66 trillion won in commercial paper (CP) and electronic short-term bonds during the week of August 10-14. Hana

According to CNBC, on August 17, James Bullard, former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, said now is a good time for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates despite inflation remaining elevated alongside a resilient U.S. economy. Bullard, currently dean of Purdue's Krannert

According to Hana Securities, on August 18, the South Korean brokerage firm expects foreign investor inflows into domestic equities as U.S. manufacturing expands and inflation declines simultaneously, driving dollar weakness. The firm recommends overweighting sectors with lower foreign

According to U.S. Treasury Department data released on August 18, Japan, the UK, and China each reduced their holdings of U.S. Treasury securities in June. Japan held $1.117 trillion in U.S. Treasuries, down $26.4 billion from May; the UK held $939.9 billion, down $8.7 billion; and China held $633.4

Hana Securities on the 18th raised its target stock price for SK to 770,000 won from 560,000 won, a 37.5% increase, while maintaining a 'buy' investment opinion. Analyst Choi Jung-wook attributed the upward revision to rising equity values of major subsidiaries following their stock price

KOSDAQ-listed company Syswalk entered liquidation trading on the 13th, nearly one year after Korea Exchange's KOSDAQ Market Division announced the liquidation trading commencement on September 23 last year. The extended timeline resulted from the company filing an injunction application to suspend t

According to Hana Securities, the brokerage raised its price target for SK on August 18 to 770,000 won from 560,000 won, representing a 37.5% increase. The upgrade reflects improved valuations of major subsidiaries, particularly SK Hynix and SK Innovation, driven by strong operating earnings. SK's s

According to Korea Exchange, SysWorks began liquidation trading on August 13 after a 323-day legal suspension challenge. The company filed for injunctive relief on September 22, 2025, three days after the exchange announced delisting procedures. The suspension was dismissed on August 10,

According to New York Stock Exchange data, on August 17, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 272.63 points, or 0.51%, to 53,459.78, while the S&P 500 declined 0.52% on growing geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran and concerns over rising crude oil