U.S. Stock Futures Slip as Year-End Trading Turns Cautious 
Gold Prices Rebound in Europe as Geopolitical Tensions and Fed Outlook Support Bullion 
South Korean Won Slides Despite Government Efforts to Stabilize Currency Markets 
Asia Manufacturing PMI Rebounds as Exports and Tech Demand Drive Growth into 2026 
South Korea Factory Output Misses Forecasts in November Amid Ongoing Economic Uncertainty 
China Manufacturing PMI Rebounds in December, Offering Boost to Economic Growth Outlook 
U.S. Dollar Steadies Ahead of Fed Minutes as Markets Eye Policy Divisions 
U.S. Stock Index Futures Steady as Markets Await Fed Policy Clues in Holiday-Thinned Trade 
Oil Prices Slide in 2025 as Oversupply and Geopolitical Risks Shape Market Outlook 
Oil Prices Stabilize at Start of 2026 as OPEC+ Policy and Geopolitical Risks Shape Market Outlook 
Asian Currencies Trade Flat as Dollar Weakens in Thin New Year Trading 
Asian Markets End Year on AI Optimism as Precious Metals and Currencies Shine 
South Korea Factory Activity Returns to Growth in December on Export Rebound 
China Imposes 55% Tariff on Beef Imports Above Quota to Protect Domestic Industry 
Forex Markets Hold Steady as Traders Await Fed Minutes Amid Thin Year-End Volumes 
USDA $12 Billion Farm Aid Program Draws Mixed Reactions from Row Crop Farmers 
US restrictions against Huawei Technologies Co. are adversely impacting South Korean firms, which exports chips to China.
South Korea’s two biggest exporters, Samsung Electronics Co. and SK Hynix Inc. use US-made equipment while trading with Huawei and other Chinese firms.
Samsung earned almost 20 percent of its revenue from China in the latest quarter, while Hynix generated nearly 40 percent.
According to the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade analyst Kim Yang-paeng, US restrictions on Huawei can result in smaller Chinese tech exports containing South Korean semiconductors.
South Korea’s largest single export category is the chips, worth $94 billion last year, or 17 percent of its total exports.
China is also South Korea’s biggest trading partner.
Huawei is a major buyer of South Korean chips and was expected to buy over $10 billion from South Korea in 2019.
Nonetheless, Huawei’s decline may prove beneficial for some South Korean sectors such as smartphones, where Samsung is competing for the top spot globally.
