The total accumulated auto exports up to April this year reached a record a high of $23.2 billion, with the trade surplus also reaching a record among exported items at $17.7 billion, playing a leading role in the trade balance. The export volume of $6.2 billion in April also set a record for the hi
LG Chem has announced its sales plan for its three new growth drivers for 2030.On May 16, Vice Chairman Shin Hak-cheol stated during the keynote speech at the Bank of America's 2023 Korea & Global EV/EV Battery Conference, held for foreign institutional investors at the Grand Hyatt Seoul, that t
Hanwha Solutions’ Q CELLS will invest 136.5 billion won (US$101.9 million) to mass produce perovskite-silicon-based tandem cells called “dream solar cells.”Q CELLS announced on May 16 that it will build a pilot facility for volume production of tandem cell modules at its Jincheon plant in North Chun
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 semiconductor back-end process market is expanding due to the growing demand for future vehicles such as electric vehicles and self-driving cars, but some experts say that Korea needs to boost its competitiveness in the back-end process market.The semiconductor back-end process market is expecte
On May 16, Stellantis put on hold the construction of its joint venture plant with LG Energy Solution, NextStar Energy, effective the previous day, local time, according to industry sources. “The Canadian government has not fulfilled agreed-upon terms for the construction of the joint venture,” the
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at dongyang.kim@nhqv.com -- Ed.LS Holdings’ earnings momentum is being spurred by the consolidation of LS MnM earnings. The firm is beefing up its portfolio by expanding capacity and increasing stakes in subsidiaries. Moreove
A number of high-profile mergers and acquisition (M&A) deals were made in the entertainment industry recently. Kakao and HYBE's investment in SM Entertainment is a recent good example.Korean showbusiness companies are partnering with blockchain platforms for metaverse platforms or the non-fungib
Samsung Electronics continues to grapple with overproduction in its semiconductor sector, leading to an inventory exceeding 50 trillion won in the first quarter of this year. The inventory of the semiconductor business has surpassed 30 trillion won, driven by a prolonged slump in demand.According to
Doosan Enerbility announced on May 15th that it has begun the production of main components for Shin Hanul Units 3 and 4 at its Changwon headquarters.The event was attended by key figures from the government, local authorities, contractors, and partner companies, including Minister of Trade, Industr
Nongshim announced on May 15th that it recorded consolidated sales of 860.4 billion won (US$760 million) and an operating profit of 63.8 billion won (US$56 million) in the first quarter of 2023. This represents a growth of 16.9% in sales and 85.8% in operating profit compared to the same period last
LG Electronics' factory utilization rate plummeted as the company proactively adjusted its inventory in response to a global economic downturn.According to a quarterly report released by LG Electronics on May 15, the company's inventory stood at 9.83 trillion won (US$7.36 billion) in the fir
Merger talks are accelerating between Kioxia (formerly known as Toshiba Memory), the world's third-largest NAND flash market player, and Western Digital, the fourth-largest. This is because NAND flash prices have been falling since June 2022, and the two companies already made 30 percent product
Hyundai and Kia are enjoying strong sales growth in India, which has emerged as the world's third-largest auto market. Kia, in particular, saw its sales increase by more than 20 percent year on year from January through April 2023.Hyundai’s and Kia's combined sales stood at nearly 300,000 un
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at esshim@nhqv.com -- Ed.Portfolio and business expansion is centering on premium brand Denps and vitamin products, and H.PIO is entering into general consumer goods brands through subsidiaries. Non-consolidated earnings shou
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. She can be reached at jiyoony@nhqv.com -- Ed.Kolmar Korea’s 1Q23 results proved weaker than expected due to both a rise in the non-consolidated COGS ratio and sluggish earnings at subsidiaries. However, order growth expectations remain valid a
The author is an analyst for Shinhan Securities. She can be reached at hpark@shinhan.com -- Ed.1Q23 OP better than expected, China earnings on a recovery pathCosmax’s consolidated sales came in line with expectations at KRW403.3bn (+1% YoY) in 1Q23, and operating profit fared slightly better at KRW1
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
Stellantis and LG Energy Solution are planning to establish a joint venture for electric vehicle batteries in Ontario, Canada, but they are at odds with the Canadian government over financial support, according to foreign media reports.According to Bloomberg on May 13 (local time), Stellantis claime
Samsung Electronics will establish a semiconductor research and development (R&D) center in Japan. The move is seen as a strategy to shorten R&D time through close cooperation with Japan’s leading material, parts, and equipment companies.Samsung Electronics is considering investing 30 billion yen (a