Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

Spar Group announced on Monday, 17 August 2026 that Chairman Mike Bosman and Deputy Chair Dr Shirley Zinn have resigned with immediate effect. The Board confirmed the resignations were amicable. In response, the Board appointed Lwazi Koyana, an independent non-executive director, as Interim Chairman

According to BlockBeats, Changshu Semiconductor's stock price surged on August 17, reaching an all-time high at 61.8 yuan per share, up 12% at market close. The company's latest market capitalization reached 4.13 trillion yuan, making it the highest-valued stock on China's A-share market. Its market

According to Kpler tracking data, transit through the Strait of Hormuz plummeted last weekend amid U.S.-Iran tensions, with only 5 vessels passing on Saturday and zero on Sunday, compared to 31 ships the prior weekend. The transit disruption sent global crude oil and ethylene glycol prices surging

280 listed companies in South Korea reported combined operating profit of 213.2498 trillion won in Q2, surpassing market consensus of 203.8985 trillion won by 4.58%, according to financial data provider FnGuide. The Q2 results represent a 305.79% increase compared to 52.5516 trillion won recorded in

BlackRock launched hyper-concentrated ETFs focusing on top US mega-cap stocks, responding to a market trend where over 60% of S&P500 returns in the past 5 years came from the top 20 stocks. The iShares Top 20 U.S. Equity ETF (TOPT) tracks the 20 largest US companies by market capitalization,

According to Mizuho Bank on August 17, ahead of Friday's publication of the eurozone's initial Purchasing Managers Index (PMI), government bond yields may be driven more by fund flows, oil prices, and bond supply rather than European Central Bank rate expectations. Mizuho noted that the PMI data

According to Jin10 Futures reporting Dalian Commodity Exchange data, on August 17, polyvinyl chloride futures warehouse receipts declined by 62 lots to 120,991 lots. Other chemical futures warehouse receipts remained unchanged: polyethylene at 5,623 lots, polypropylene at 27,129 lots, ethylene

According to Korea Economic Daily, citing financial data provider F&Guide, 280 listed South Korean companies that reported Q2 2026 earnings posted combined operating profit of 213.2 trillion won, surging 305.79% year-over-year and beating market consensus by 4.58%. About 41% of the companies

According to Korea Economic Daily, BlackRock recently entered the hyper-concentrated ETF market by launching TOPT (iShares Top 20 U.S. Stock ETF), which tracks the 20 largest U.S. companies by market cap including Apple and Nvidia. The move reflects a broader market trend toward extreme portfolio co

SanDisk Corp. and Micron Technology rose sharply in overnight trading ahead of Monday, with SNDK advancing 6% and MU gaining 3.6%. The gains followed a week in which SNDK rose 35.4% after unveiling an ambitious growth outlook through fiscal 2030 at its investor day event, attracting multiple

According to Hankyung, South Korea's KOSPI index has declined for seven consecutive weeks, closing at 6,345.53 on August 11, as investors await concrete moves from semiconductor leaders Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. The index has faced headwinds despite record earnings from the two chipmakers an

SanDisk Corp. (SNDK) and Micron Technology (MU) surged in overnight trading ahead of Monday, rising 6% and 3.6% respectively, as analysts raised price targets following strong earnings signals. According to reports, RBC Capital Markets raised SNDK's price target to $1,600, while Wells Fargo lifted i

Korean securities firms recommend a barbell investment strategy for August, combining growth stocks with value and defensive stocks, as semiconductor volatility increases investor fatigue this month. The strategy responds to fluctuating performance from semiconductor leaders, with firms

The KOSDAQ index closed at 858.91 on the 12th, up 0.12%, extending a rally that has lifted the index approximately 20% this month from its recent low of 644.78 on the 30th of last month. Strong Q2 corporate earnings drove the recovery, with 59 KOSDAQ companies reporting a combined 34.09% year-over-y

TIGER KOSDAQ Active ETF gained 21.36% and TIME KOSDAQ Active ETF gained 20.08% from the 1st to the 11th of this month, both outperforming the KOSDAQ150 passive ETF's approximately 19% return. Both funds increased semiconductor stock allocations during this period, with TIME also adding power

According to an analysis by Korean Economic Daily on August 17, South Korean brokerages recommend a "barbell strategy" in August that simultaneously holds growth stocks, value stocks, and defensive stocks. Among 10 domestic and international securities firms surveyed, seven recommended finance,

According to Hankyung, South Korea's KOSDAQ index has rallied over 20% in August, rebounding from a monthly low of 644.78 on July 30 to close at 858.91 on August 12, marking a 33% recovery. The index has gained ground on improved corporate earnings, with operating profits from 59 listed KOSDAQ

According to Korea Exchange, KOSDAQ active exchange-traded funds (ETFs) showed sharply divided performance as the KOSDAQ index surged approximately 20% in early August (1–11). Two of six listed KOSDAQ active ETFs outperformed the KOSDAQ 150 passive ETF benchmark, which rose 19% over the period.

On August 14, when second-quarter 13F filings closed, an analysis of 24 major institutions' stock holdings for the June 30 to August 14 period (45 trading days) revealed that 15 institutions had stock-pick success rates below 50%, with a median hit rate of 44.3%. Viking Global and Temasek tied for f

Korea Exchange and securities firms earned ₩117.26 billion in fees from single-stock leveraged ETF trading between May 27 and the end of the previous month. The fees came from 16 Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix leveraged and inverse ETF products launched May 27. High trading volume in these