South Korea's longstanding number one export market, China, is showing signs of waning in dominance after nearly 20 years since diplomatic ties were established between the two nations. Analysts suggest that South Korea’s growth model, which benefited from selling intermediate goods like semicon
Korean industry is experiencing the phenomenon of an exit from China and sluggish exports. While it is positive for corporate Korea to diversify export destinations, it is negative for it to post a drop in exports. Even amid a U.S.-China conflict, voices are being raised to call for attempts to prom
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. She can be reached at jiyoony@nhqv.com -- Ed. Ahead of China’s 618 shopping festival (Jun 18), pre-sale performance stands out for the Lululemon (fashion) and Proya (cosmetics) brands. Although China reopening effects are proving limited compa
By the end of this month, “Five Guys,” one of the top three American burger chains, will be launching its first branch in the Gangnam district of Seoul, South Korea, drawing attention to competition in the premium burger market.According to industry insiders on June 1, In-N-Out Burger, the only one
The petrochemical industry is struggling to recover, scrambling to secure growth drivers in specialty areas. In response to China’s expansion of its self-sufficiency rate, they are trying to secure market competitiveness by focusing on high-value-added products. In particular, they are actively fost
The author is an analyst for Shinhan Securities. He can be reached at tyc@shinhan.com -- Ed.Focused on exports of baby skin care products and POE packagingZero to Seven manufactures baby skin care products, including shampoo, body wash, lotion and sunscreen, under the brand name of Goongbe. In addit
Following China, the United States has also cut back on Korean semiconductor imports.Korean semiconductor exports to the United States fell 68.6 percent year on year in April, according to a report on the characteristics and implications of Korea’s semiconductor demand structure released by the Bank
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at jiyoony@nhqv.com -- Ed.The Nature Holdings’ OP for 1Q23 came in sluggish due to both a higher COGS-to-sales ratio and greater labor costs for advertising and new brands. But, the overseas sales portion for NG has been on a
The author is an analyst for Shinhan Securities. He can be reached at bh.lee@shinhan.com -- Ed.1Q23 review: Decent top-line growth vs. disappointing marginsGolfzon reported consolidated operating profit of KRW41.5bn (-18.1% YoY) on sales of KRW187bn (+21.5% YoY) in 1Q23. Sales beat market expectatio
On May 25, POSCO announced the completion of a “giga steel” specialized complex processing plant at its local processing center in China, POSCO-China Suzhou Processing Center (CSPC). The new facility has been established in response to the surging demand for electric vehicles.POSCO operates foreign
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 author is an analyst for Shinhan Securities. He can be reached at jinmyung.lee93@shinhan.com -- Ed.Chemical sector at the crossroads of survivalThe petrochemical sector is cyclical in nature, where profits generated during an up- cycle are invested during a down-cycle to prepare for the next boo
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at jaekwang.rhee@nhqv.com -- Ed.Requiring significant capital investment, the aerospace/defense industry is intimately connected with national defense. In line, in times of heated competition between nations, defense expendit
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. She can be reached at hzl.lee@nhqv.com -- Ed.In 1H23, the entertainment and casino industries are enjoying solid earnings, despite worries over economic slowdown. As these industries are backed by fans and personal preferences, they remain rel
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. She can be reached at jiyoony@nhqv.com -- Ed.A previous share-price rally trend based solely on expectations for China’s reopening has now come to its end. Moving ahead, we believe that share price performance will vary by company, depending u
Foreign franchise companies continue to make forays into the Korean market. While various types of food brands such as hamburgers, chicken, and coffee shops have already established themselves locally, there are still many companies that are poised to enter.However, there is no guarantee that all br
Samsung Electronics is expected to hold its new smartphone model unpacking event in Korea. The company is speeding up the diversification of its Asian strategy amid a U.S.-China trade conflict and sluggish demand for information technology (IT) products in China, which has led to a companywide decli
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 government and industry have begun to promote the Carbon Free Energy (CFE) system. CFE is a campaign to use 100% energy sources that do not emit greenhouse gases. It is regarded as a way to respond to the RE100 campaign, which requires 100 percent of electricity to be supplied through the
Huawei kicked off its Asia Pacific Partners Conference 2023 in Shenzhen, bringing together over 1,200 of its partners from more than 10 countries and regions to explore ways to seek new growth and win the future. Huawei also hosted an APAC partners alliance launch ceremony during the event.Asia-Paci