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
The trend of improved terms of trade in South Korea has continued for the eighth consecutive month. This is attributed to the slowdown in the decline of export prices, which has resulted in import prices decreasing more significantly than export prices.Exports of semiconductors, the largest export i
Kolon Industries will establish a joint venture with private equity firm Hahn & Company for industrial film manufacturing.On Feb. 27, Kolon Industries announced that it was considering establishing a joint venture (JV) with Hahn & Company for its film business and signed a binding memorandum of unde
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at junsup@nhqv.com -- Ed.From now forward, we believe that the key to determining the value of financial sector plays is to be the existence of specific shareholder return policies and the market's level of trust in them.Boos
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at youngryu@nhqv.com -- Ed.Micron begins mass production of HBM3EMicron has kicked off full-scale production of HBM3E (24GB 8-high) to be used for Nvidia’s H200, which is scheduled to be shipped from 2Q24. The company has als
HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE) recently signed a contract on the construction of four 174,000-cubic-meter liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers with an Oceania-based shipping company.The LNG carriers are valued at US$270 million per vessel, which is US$5 million more than the pre
The author, Hyungcho Chung, is the founder and CEO of Scomot -- Ed.What is an Abacus?An abacus is an ancient tool used for calculating and counting that has been used for centuries. It is composed of a wooden frame with a series of rods arranged in rows, each containing a specific number of beads. T
The Monetary Policy Board of the Bank of Korea (BOK) has decided to maintain the key interest rate at the existing level of 3.50 percent. Despite the domestic inflation rate falling to the 2 percent range, it is deemed difficult to consider it as having reached a stable level, especially considering
Chinese direct purchase shopping app Temu is stirring controversy in South Korea by attracting new members with cash-like credit points and free gifts through fishing-like events. Consumers have criticized Temu’s ambiguous prize events as “consumer deception” and “multi-level personal information sc
Korea’s leading chicken brand BHC Chicken is embroiled in controversy for replacing its boneless chicken menu with cheap Brazilian chicken and at the same time raising its price.BHC Chicken switched its source of boneless chicken to Brazil in May 2023, according to industry sources on Feb. 22. Howev
The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) is targeting franchise businesses owned by private equity funds. In particular, tensions within the industry have escalated recently after Mom’s Touch was fined 300 million won (US$225,989) for unfair practices towards its franchisees.Yook Sung-kwon, the Secretary Gen
The criticism against Chinese e-commerce companies, which aggressively enter the domestic market with ultra-low prices, is growing due to their disregard for relevant laws while operating within the country. There are numerous complaints about these companies consistently sending advertisements that
Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC) has secured a contract for the largest overseas airport development and operation project in its history, expected to generate sales of 37 trillion won in the Philippines.On Feb. 16, it was announced that Incheon International Airport Corporation won
Hyundai Motor Group which runs Hyundai Motor, Kia Corp. and Genesis sold a total of 7.34 million vehicles globally in 2023, ranking third in sales, according sources in the automobile industry. This marked the second consecutive year that the group has ranked among the big three.Toyota Group, with b
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
Netflix, a dominant player in the online video streaming service (OTT) industry, is persisting in its non-response to government pressure to lower subscription fees, raising concerns about increasing burdens on domestic OTT companies. Experts argue that to improve equity between domestic and interna
This year it is projected that the annual overseas construction contract orders for South Korean companies will reach US$40 billion. It is expected that the contract amount will expand compared to previous years through projects such as nuclear power plants, renewable energy, and investment developm
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at jaemin.ahn@nhqv.com -- Ed.With the launch of Crimson Desert having been postponed to 2025, operating losses appear inevitable for Pearl Abyss in 2024. However, as Crimson Desert is an AAA-grade new game targeting the globa
Celltrion is expanding its market presence in Peru, a major Latin American country, by winning a series of successful public tenders.First of all, Truxima (rituximab) 500 mg won a tender held by the National Health Ministry of Peru (Centro Nacional de Abastecimiento de Recursos Estratégicos en Salud
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