South Korea Central Bank Set to Raise Interest Rates as Inflation Stays Elevated 
Asian Stocks Rise as Softer U.S. Inflation Boosts Sentiment Despite Middle East Tensions 
China Trade Surplus Hits $125.6 Billion as June Exports, Imports Smash Forecasts 
China Q2 2026 GDP Misses Forecast as Weak Domestic Demand Offsets Export Strength 
Dollar Eases as Middle East Conflict, Fed Outlook and Japan Pension Policy Drive FX Markets 
Dollar Rises as Middle East Conflict Fuels Inflation and Rate Hike Fears 
Asia Stocks Slip as Iran-Hormuz Tensions Lift Oil Prices, Dollar and Bond Yields 
Gold Prices Fall as US-Iran Conflict, Rising Oil Prices Fuel Fed Rate Concerns 
Iraq PM Visits Washington as U.S. Oil, Gas Deals Take Center Stage 
Gold Price Holds Near $4,000 as Middle East Tensions and Fed Rate Hike Bets Grow 
Australia Consumer Sentiment Rises in July as Fuel Price Relief Lifts Confidence 
Japanese Yen Holds Steady as Intervention Hopes Grow Ahead of U.S. CPI Data 
Australian Business Conditions Hold Steady as Easing Cost Pressures Face New Oil Price Risks 
Asian Currencies Stay Rangebound as Middle East Tensions, Weak China GDP Weigh on Sentiment 
Asian Currencies Weaken as Stronger Dollar Weighs, Yen Supported by GPIF Repatriation Hopes 
Oil Prices Surge as U.S.-Iran Conflict Escalates and Strait of Hormuz Risks Grow 
South Korea’s KOSPI Enters Bear Market Despite Remaining 2026’s Best-Performing Major Stock Index 
South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI index soared more than 5% at Thursday’s market open, prompting the Korea Exchange (KRX) to temporarily halt program trading after a sharp rally fueled by leading semiconductor stocks. The exchange activated a buy-side sidecar mechanism, suspending program trading for KOSPI-listed shares for five minutes to help stabilize the market following the rapid surge.
The strong gains were driven by impressive performances from South Korea’s major chipmakers, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. Samsung Electronics climbed 4.9%, while SK Hynix surged 9.6% as investor sentiment strengthened after Micron Technology reported better-than-expected quarterly earnings and issued an optimistic outlook for future demand.
Micron Technology’s strong financial results reinforced confidence in the global semiconductor industry, particularly in the artificial intelligence (AI) memory chip market. Following the earnings announcement, Micron shares jumped more than 13% in U.S. after-hours trading, creating a positive ripple effect across Asian technology stocks.
SK Hynix also attracted investor attention after announcing plans to raise approximately $29.4 billion through a U.S. stock market listing. The company, a major supplier of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips used in Nvidia’s AI systems, aims to capitalize on the rapidly expanding demand for AI-related semiconductor technologies.
The market rally helped the KOSPI recover a significant portion of the losses recorded earlier in the week. On Tuesday, the index had fallen nearly 10% amid heavy selling pressure in technology and semiconductor shares, raising concerns about investor confidence.
Thursday’s rebound highlights renewed optimism in South Korea’s stock market, with semiconductor companies once again leading the recovery. As global demand for AI chips continues to accelerate and memory manufacturers report stronger earnings, investors remain focused on the long-term growth prospects of Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and the broader semiconductor sector.
