Despite a sluggish construction industry, corporate sentiment in the economy has rebounded slightly for the first time in three months, attributed to the recovery in semiconductor exports.According to the survey results of the Business Survey Index (BSI) and Economic Sentiment Index (ESI) for March
The rapid increase in direct overseas purchases through Chinese e-commerce companies such as AliExpress, Temu, and Shein has led to discussions about alternative measures to mitigate the side effects. However, it has been confirmed that the proposal to tax small imported goods is closely linked to t
Six of the world’s top 10 shipping companies posted negative growth in the fourth quarter of 2023 due to a sluggish global shipping market. Among them, only two posted a profit thanks to the acquisition of mega-ships: HMM, a Korean shipping giant that claims eighth place, and Taiwan’s Evergreen.Amon
The performance of SK on’s C has come into the spotlight after a U.S. electric car driver reported that the battery has maintained 97 percent of its original capacity after driving 160,000 kilometers in 21 months.Automotive media outlet CarScoops carried a story based on a recent post on the F-150 L
The 17-year trend of Japan’s persistent negative interest rates has come to an end, yet the market’s response remains tepid. This is attributed to assessments indicating difficulty in perceiving a full-fledged tightening. However, there are prospects suggesting that the yen may strengthen from the s
While domestic demand including consumption continues to remain weak, exports, which have been driving up Korea’s economic recovery, are also facing a threat on the account of a slump in exports to China. Exports to China grew by more than 16 percent in January this year, snapping a 19-month streak
As the Bank of Japan (BOJ) has embarked on its first interest rate hike in 17 years, it is anticipated that the strengthening of the yen due to the lifting of Japan’s negative interest rates could have a positive impact on domestic exports such as semiconductors, automobiles, and shipbuilding. Howev
“Predictability is what matters most for global companies,” said James Kim, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in South Korea (AMCHAM). “With an exodus out of China becoming a reality, we are receiving an influx of many inquiries from companies looking to move their Asia-Pacific headquarte
Chinese TV manufacturers are aggressively targeting the OLED market, dominated by Samsung and LG, with their large LCD products offered at breakthrough prices.During the “Korea Display Conference” hosted by Omdia in the Seocho district of Seoul on March 13, Park Kyung-sun, director at Omdia Korea, s
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at sw.kang@nhqv.com -- Ed.The Fed's rate cut playbook emphasizes cuts sooner rather than later and further tightening. With this in mind, we anticipate bullish steepening of yield curves starting from 2Q24. The US and EU are
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at dongyang.kim@nhqv.com -- Ed.At AGMs this year, the spread of shareholder proposals, which has been a global trend since 2023, is to continue. As Korea’s dividend system improvements roll out in earnest, more companies are
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at bk@nhqv.com -- Ed.Global stock markets have rallied of late, with the S&P500 surging for four months in a row. In February, the Kospi has outperformed other major markets. But, the fast market growth is likely to bolster p
South Korea’s exports to China are expected to surge in 2024 due to a recovery of the IT market in China. However, South Korea is unlikely to record a large trade balance surplus as in the past due to an increase in imports of Chinese batteries and the declining competitiveness of Korean products.“I
HMM has said that the shipping company will respond to a slump in the shipping industry by using super-large ships and boosting sales efficiency, but external variables are expected to impede the sale of the company.According to a 2024 maritime and fisheries outlook report released on Feb. 15, the K
The author is an analyst for Shinhan Securities. He can be reached at sokang@shinhan.com -- Ed.4Q23 review: New game and profitability disappointNCsoft registered operating profit of KRW3.9bn (-91.9% YoY, -76.7% QoQ, operating margin of 0.9%) on sales of KRW437.7bn (-20.1% YoY, +3.5% QoQ) for 4Q23,
Civic groups in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, collectively known as the “POSCO Citizens’ Response Committee,” held an urgent executive committee meeting on Feb. 12 to formally oppose the nomination of former POSCO President Jang In-hwa as the CEO candidate for POSCO Holdings.The Citizens’ Commi
The feared situation has finally emerged for China’s e-commerce giant AliExpress, which ambitiously entered the South Korean market by prioritizing cost-effectiveness.In particular, consumer dissatisfaction is pouring in regarding services and customer responses, which have been consistently critici
SillaJen announced on Jan. 1 that it has applied to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval to amend the Investigational New Drug (IND) application for Phase 1 clinical trials of its BAL0891 cancer drug candidate.BAL0891 is a mitotic checkpoint inhibitor (MCI) class anticancer drug
The author is an analyst for Shinhan Securities. She can be reached at hpark@shinhan.com -- Ed.4Q23 OP falls short due to inventory adjustments at distributorsAmorepacific posted consolidated operating profit of KRW20.7bn (-64% YoY) on sales of KRW926bn (-15% YoY) for 4Q23, missing our estimate (KRW
The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) is actively moving forward with the designation of new global innovation districts this year. Simultaneously, it is focusing its efforts on strengthening global collaboration programs to foster the venture ecosystem. The ministry plans to strengthen support fo