The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at sw.kang@nhqv.com -- Ed.Following the debt ceiling deal, we expect the US government and Fed’s ‘double QT’ to replace rate hikes. In Dec 2021, the US government’s short-term borrowing led to shrinking MMF balances, a higher
The battery industry is on high alert as the guidelines of the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), specifically concerning “Foreign Entities of Concern (FEOC),” could be released as early as June. This comes with the apprehension that if major procurement and refining companies for core battery mine
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned of possible corporate debt distresses in Asian countries, singling out Korea as becoming one of the most vulnerable if high interest rates persist.In its report on corporate debt in Asia on May 29, the IMF aggregated by country the percentage of total
The Asiana Airlines Pilots Labor Union, which has been at odds with management over wage increases for more than half a year, has secured the right to strike legally. If the pilots vote to go on strike, it will be the first strike at Asiana in 18 years since 2005.According to the pilots labor union
Coway Co., Ltd., the “Best Life Solution Company,” announced today that Coway’s Seoul-based R&D Center, the Environmental Technology Research Institute, has received Witnessed Manufacturer’s Testing for Certification (WMTC) certificate from CSA. Coway has officially become a CSA-qualified witness la
A recovery of the Korean and global stock markets has led to an increase in both Korea’s external financial assets and liabilities. As assets grew more than liabilities, net external financial assets (external financial assets minus external financial liabilities) also edged up. Net external financi
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at ys.jung@nhqv.com -- Ed.The Biden administration has been emphasizing the importance of SMRs. According to the DOE report released in 2023, the US is targeting to expand its nuclear power capacity (including SMRs) by 200GW
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at yk.choi@nhqv.com -- Ed.We expect to see a gradual recovery in the oil refining and petrochemical industries in 2H23. While the refining industry's capacity to expand supply is limited, Chinese travel demand has entered
The Korean government and the private sector will invest more than 14.3 trillion won (US$10.9 billion) in the Korean auto parts industry. The government, automakers, and related organizations will provide their maximum support to foster Korean experts in core technologies for future vehicles, expand
As a sharp interest rate hike in the United States has led to a commercial real estate bankruptcy crisis following local banks in the United States, a Korean lawmaker said that Korea’s overseas real estate funds to mature within three years have reached 30 trillion won. As a decline in real estate v
Only one out of every four iPhone users in Korea has used Apple’s payment service Apple Pay. Analysts say that this not-so-high percentage was blamed on the fact that only Hyundai Card users have been able to use Apple Pay in Korea and the fact that there have been not yet many places where it can b
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at sw.kang@nhqv.com -- Ed.Debt ceiling negotiations are both an event risk and a fundamental risk. After a deal is reached, market focus should shift to: 1) the reduction of short-term money market liquidity; and 2) governmen
Shinhan Card announced on May 19 that it held a seminar under the theme of “Public Policy Establishment Cases Utilizing Big Data” at Shinhan Card's headquarters on May 18, inviting policy makers from the Hungarian Ministry of Finance and the National Tax Administration of Hungary.The seminar was
Superior Essex (SPSX), a U.S. wire company under the LS Group, has successfully raised approximately 200 billion won (US$150 million) through a pre-IPO via a domestic private equity fund (PEF).SPSX has signed a contract with SK Securities' subsidiary, SKS Credit, an exclusive private equity fund
Korea’s display industry led by Samsung Display and LG Display will invest more than 65 trillion won in order to recapture the No. 1 spot in the market share standings in the global display market from China by 2027. The plan is to increase the global market share to 50 percent in 2027, widen its te
The Korean Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) announced on April 18 that it has approved UBS’s merger with Credit Suisse (CS).The two companies signed an agreement on their merger on April 6 and filed their merger notification with the KFTC on April 25.Both UBS and CS are global investment banks based in
Kia is considering investing in building a new electric vehicle (EV) production plant in Mexico. The move is seen as a step toward increasing local production in response to the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). As the IRA provides subsidies in the form of tax credits only for electric vehicles pr
The Korea Trade Insurance Corporation (K-SURE) announced on May 14 that it would provide financial support of 380 million euros (approximately 552 billion won or US$414 million) for the purchase of communication devices by French mobile telecommunications company Bouygues Telecom from Korean enterpr
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at sw.kang@nhqv.com -- Ed.Amid tightening bank credit conditions, 1) core services inflation, excluding housing, came in below market expectations; and 2) housing inflation peaked out at a 21-month high. April retail sales co
Chinese battery companies blocked from entering the United States by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) are quickly turning to the European Union (EU). They are focusing on aggressive investment and price competitiveness.The Korea International Trade Association (KITA) released a report under the tit