The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at sw.kang@nhqv.com -- Ed.The US aims to stabilize inflation and defend against a recession through a combination of aggressive Fed tightening and fiscal stimulus. However, real interest rates have converged with potential gr
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. She can be reached at jiyoony@nhqv.com -- Ed.Kolmar Korea’s 2Q23 results showed its best-ever quarterly earnings. It booked OPM of 16% on a surge in domestic sun care product orders, economies of scale from higher productivity, and category di
Japan has reported a 1.5% economic growth rate in the second quarter, significantly outpacing South Korea’s 0.6%. Despite the global economic slowdown, Japan continues its growth streak for the third consecutive quarter. Its stock market has also reached its highest level in 33 years, indicating a r
Samsung Electronics has decided to sell a portion of its shares in the Dutch semiconductor equipment manufacturer Advanced Semiconductor Materials Lithography (ASML) after holding onto them for seven years. This move is interpreted as an effort to secure funds for investment, especially as the compa
After a decade-long downturn, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, Samsung Heavy Industries, and Hanwha Ocean are gaining momentum in realizing substantial profits. In July, domestic shipyards reclaimed the title of being the world’s top shipbuilding nation from China, a position they lost
Starting from the second quarter, major companies are showing a preference for bank loans as a means of fundraising over issuing corporate bonds. This trend is emerging as the interest rates for bank loans do not significantly differ from the interest rates for corporate bond issuance. With expectat
A Korean Air passenger plane that was headed to the city of New York in the U.S. had to return to Incheon International Airport due to an aircraft malfunction.According to Korean Air on Aug. 14, its flight with the number KE081 and carrying around 400 passengers took off from Incheon Airport at 10 a
The news of a visit to Korea by an official from the UAE Royal Family Office (hereafter referred to as the UAE Royal Office), which has signed a business agreement with Aiitone, a KOSDAQ-listed company, is attracting attention from related industries.Aiitone (CEO Jin Yeop Lee), a fintech specialist
As the importance of carbon neutrality has been growing globally, major Korean companies are focusing on the carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) business. The idea is to collect carbon dioxide (CO₂) emitted into the atmosphere from fossil fuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and then
On Aug. 11, Cosmax, a global cosmetics R&D and production (ODM) company based in Korea, held a ceremony to celebrate the completion of a joint venture factory with Yatsen. It is the largest single cosmetics factory in Asia. With the new plant, Cosmax will expand its presence in the Chinese market.Th
The semiconductor industry’s race to develop next-generation memory solutions, including high-bandwidth memory (HBM), processing-in-memory (PIM), and compute express link (CXL), sees two front runners in Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. In particular, as demand for HBM3 for AI has increased faster
For two consecutive months Japan has surpassed China to rank second in South Korea’s trade deficit rankings, following a narrowing deficit with China.According to the “July 2023 Export and Import Trends” report released by the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy on Aug. 13, the trade deficit wit
With the rapid paradigm shift towards electric and autonomous vehicles, the demand for advanced high-performance semiconductor products has surged, moving away from legacy processes.According to industry sources on Aug. 13, competition is intensifying in the automotive semiconductor market for proce
On Aug. 12 (local time), the Governor of the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran announced that nearly US$1 billion in value had been lose from the approximately US$7 billion of its funds that are frozen in South Korea, attributing the decrease to the depreciation of the won’s value against
Last year, three out of every ten LG Electronics employees in their 20s voluntarily resigned. As a result, there is an increase in new hires among those in their 20s.According to LG Electronics’ Sustainability Report on Aug. 13, the company had a total of 72,652 employees worldwide last year. The nu
The market for Micro Light Emitting Diode (microLED) panels, emerging as a next-generation display, is a domain where the domestic display industry, which is even being chased by Chinese companies in the OLED sector, can showcase a dominant market share in the future based on their advanced technolo
The United States is accelerating its resurgence in the manufacturing sector. While the rivalry with China is one factor, there is also an awareness that maintaining a nation’s competitiveness requires establishing a supply chain based on manufacturing. On the other hand, as South Korea, a nation th
Last year, three out of four foreign recipients of unemployment benefits were Chinese nationals, including those of Korean descent, according to a recent survey. Over the past five years, the total unemployment benefits received amounted to 266 billion won (US$199.70 million), which was 784 billion
With 11 out of 13 new partners being South Korean firms, Samsung Electronics has crossed a significant threshold this year where the proportion of its domestic partners has exceeded half for the first time. This move is seen as an intention to strengthen a supply chain centered around domestic compa
Hyundai Motor Group has initiated the development of electric vehicle motors that do not utilize “rare earth elements,” which are heavily dependent on China.According to industry sources on Aug. 13, Hyundai Motor Group is currently developing a propulsion motor at its Namyang Research Center in Hwas