U.S. Government Faces Brief Shutdown as Congress Delays Funding Deal 
China Factory Activity Slips in January as Weak Demand Weighs on Growth Outlook 
Oil Prices Surge Toward Biggest Monthly Gains in Years Amid Middle East Tensions 
Japan Election Poll Signals Landslide Win for Sanae Takaichi, Raising Fiscal Policy Concerns 
Dollar Holds Firm as Markets Weigh Warsh-Led Fed and Yen Weakness Ahead of Japan Election 
Starmer’s China Visit Highlights Western Balancing Act Amid U.S.-China Rivalry 
Wall Street Slips as Tech Stocks Slide on AI Spending Fears and Earnings Concerns 
Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Closes Unchanged Amid Mixed Global Signals 
South Korea Exports Surge in January on AI Chip Demand, Marking Fastest Growth in 4.5 Years 
Gold Prices Stabilize in Asian Trade After Sharp Weekly Losses Amid Fed Uncertainty 
Asian Currencies Hold Firm as Dollar Rebounds on Fed Chair Nomination Hopes 
UK Employers Plan Moderate Pay Rises as Inflation Pressures Ease but Persist 
South Korea Factory Activity Hits 18-Month High as Export Demand Surges 
Oil Prices Slide Nearly 3% as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Geopolitical Tensions 
Canada’s Trade Deficit Jumps in November as Exports Slide and Firms Diversify Away From U.S. 
Asian Markets Slide as Silver Volatility, Earnings Season, and Central Bank Meetings Rattle Investors 
The global market shares of South Korea's three electric vehicle (EV) battery makers LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI Co., and SK Innovation Co dropped in the first two months of the year despite increases in shipments due to their Chinese rivals' big advances.
LG Energy Solution Ltd. shipped 4.8 GWh equivalents of EV batteries, up 45.8 percent from last year, but its global market share plunged from 26.6 percent to 19.2 percent over the cited period, with its ranking slipping from first to second.
Fifth-ranked Samsung SDI Co.'s shipments surged 23.8 percent to 1.3 GWh during the two months. Yet its market share dropped o 5.3 percent from 8.6 percent.
SK Innovation Co., which placed sixth worldwide, shipped 1.3 GWh equivalents of EV batteries, up 69 percent from a year earlier. But its global market share inched down to 5 percent from 6 percent.
Japan's Panasonic suffered the same fate as its South Korean counterparts, shipping 4.3 GWh, up 54.4 percent from a year earlier, but saw its market share plunging from 22.5 percent to 17.2 percent.
China's CATL captured the number one spot by supplying 8 GWh, which was up 272 percent from a year earlier. Its market share soared to 31.7 percent from 17.3 percent.
Shipments by Chinese maker BYD soared 401.8 percent on-year to 1.8 GWh in the two months, ranking fourth worldwide. Its market share surged from 2.8 percent to 7 percent.
In February, the global supply of EV batteries reached 11.2 GWh, down 108.8 percent from a year earlier, according to the Seoul-based market researcher.
Worldwide consumption of EV batteries stood at 25.2-gigawatt hours (GWh) in the January-February period, up 102.4 percent from a year earlier, according to SNE Research.
