Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

According to Yonhap Infomax, South Korea's low-grade corporate bond market remains frozen on Aug 12 following defaults by JR Global Reits and Daecheong Group. BBB+ corporate bond spreads over government bonds reached 357.2bp—the widest level since April 2024—as retail investor sentiment

According to Counterpoint Research, Yangtze Memory Technologies (YMTC) ranked third globally in NAND Flash bit shipments during Q2 2026, overtaking Micron Technology, Kioxia, and SanDisk. Samsung Electronics leads with 25% market share, while SK Hynix and its NAND subsidiary Solidigm combined

According to The Block, on August 13, the U.S. SEC Investment Management Division issued a no-action letter permitting Franklin Templeton to use its on-chain U.S. Treasury money market fund (BENJI) for cash management across traditional registered funds, with exemptions from certain custodial

The Korean government announced regulatory reforms on the 13th to facilitate approximately 4.3 trillion won in corporate investments across semiconductor, battery, bio, and food manufacturing sectors. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Gu Yun-cheol chaired an emergency

Mirae Asset Securities announced Q2 net profit of 1.8959 trillion won at a conference call on the 12th, with CEO Lee Kang-hyuk describing the company as an 'export company' due to overseas operations generating over 20% of total revenue. The brokerage's overseas subsidiaries contributed 609.1

Korean pre-market trading surged on the back of overnight US semiconductor gains and increased Federal Reserve rate hold expectations. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix led the advance, with the pre-market index rising 2.76% from the previous session. The rally followed strong performances by major U

According to Korea Exchange, 27 out of 49 South Korean listed companies designated under management were officially placed on the watchlist on August 11, after failing to maintain stock prices above 1,000 won for 25 consecutive trading days. The new penny stock rule, implemented last month,

According to Yonhap Infomax, Samsung Fire Insurance reported Q2 2026 net profit attributable to shareholders of 737.7 billion Korean won on August 13, up 15.7% year-over-year and exceeding market consensus of 656.7 billion won. Operating profit rose 9.1% to 885.3 billion won, though revenue

The Korea Exchange designated 27 stocks as managed stocks on the 13th under new penny stock criteria requiring share prices to remain above 1000 won. The designation followed prolonged periods of trading below the threshold, triggering regulatory warnings for delisting risk. In response, 23 of the a

According to Nextrade premarket data on the morning of August 13, South Korean semiconductor stocks surged amid relief from U.S. inflation concerns. Samsung Electronics rose 4.31% to 266,500 Korean won, SK Hynix gained 4.92% to 1,578,000 Korean won, and SK Squarex jumped 7.91% to 1,105,000 Korean wo

According to Hong Kong Stock Exchange equity disclosure, H&H International Investment LLC, managed by Duan Yongping, increased its stake in POPMART H-shares from 5.55% to 7.70% on August 6.

According to Yonhapinfomax, South Korea's 10-year bond futures fell 2 basis points to 105.76 in overnight trading on August 13, while 3-year futures closed unchanged at 103.31. Trading volume contracted sharply, with 10-year contracts dropping to 26 from 41 a day earlier and 3-year contracts

US stocks rose after the July Consumer Price Index matched market expectations, with the S&P 500 gaining 0.26% and the Nasdaq advancing 0.54%. The July CPI increased 3.4% year-over-year, while core CPI rose 2.5%, down from June's 2.6%, easing concerns about Federal Reserve rate hikes. AI

According to Money Today, Okins Electronics, a South Korean semiconductor testing solutions provider, announced the establishment of a Taiwan subsidiary on August 13, aiming to accelerate its entry into artificial intelligence semiconductor and non-memory chip markets. The company reported 2025

Bank of America economist Aditya Bhave maintained his forecast for three Federal Reserve rate hikes this year after July's Consumer Price Index rose 0.1% monthly and held the annual rate at 3.4%, matching Wall Street expectations. Bhave argues the Fed cut rates too

According to Barron's, citing reports from Asia Business Daily, Singapore's Temasek, a $400 billion state-owned investment fund, is planning to invest in SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics on Wednesday (August 12), sparking gains across semiconductor stocks. SK Hynix ADR surged 9% and its

According to Bank of America economist Aditya Bhave, the bank is holding firm on its forecast for three Federal Reserve rate hikes in 2026, even after July's Consumer Price Index rose 0.1% in line with expectations, keeping the annual rate at 3.4%. Bhave argues the Fed cut rates too aggressively

Individual investors bet on Korean stock gains while foreign investors positioned for declines during early August, per KOSCOM CHECK data. From August 3-12, individuals net purchased 162.2 billion won of KODEX 200 (tracking KOSPI 200) and 88.6 billion won of KODEX Leverage (2x KOSPI 200 exposure). F

Samsung Electronics and SK hynix stocks have declined over 40% from their peaks as excessive credit leverage positions were liquidated, pushing their 2027 price-to-earnings ratios down to 3.7 times and 3.2 times respectively based on closing prices from the 12th, according to a KB Securities

According to Korea Exchange data released on August 13, Korean retail investors net purchased 162.2 billion Korean won of KODEX 200 index ETF from August 3-12, the third-largest volume among all listed ETFs during the period. Meanwhile, foreign investors net purchased 114.2 billion Korean won of KOD