The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at dongyang.kim@nhqv.com -- Ed.Marshalling profits from its E&P division, LXI is continuing its eco-friendly transition. Uncertainties over the NPS’s exclusion of coal projects from its investment portfolio should ease gradua
The Korean government has requested the United States expand the list of recognized countries for battery minerals in connection with the electric vehicle tax credit in the Inflation Reduction Act. It also asked for clarification on the meaning of “foreign entities of concern (FEOCs)” from which bat
SK on, a battery-focused subsidiary of SK innovation, is picking up the pace in its global battery business expansion by eliminating concerns over “fundraising” through successive investment attraction. The company plans to strengthen its global electric vehicle leadership by expanding its current a
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at minwoo.ju@nhqv.com -- Ed.Although near-term earnings growth at LGES is taking a quick pause due to inventory adjustments following sluggish sales at some customers, deferred demand is expected to emerge in 3Q23 in line wit
Negotiations are underway to resume currency swaps between Korea and Japan after an eight-year hiatus. A U.S. dollar-denominated swap is on the table. Japan has an indefinite and unlimited full-time swap agreement with the United States. Therefore, some analysts believe that Korea will be able to en
The author is an analyst for Shinhan Securities. He can be reached at wonyong.sim@shinhan.com -- Ed.Long-awaited major order intakeHana Technology disclosed on June 27 that it secured a KRW172.4bn order to provide battery cell assembly and formation turnkey solution by June 26, 2024. It is the large
According to the 2022 International Investment Balance Sheet by Region and Currency (Provisional) released by the Bank of Korea (BOK) on June 27, the balance of Korea’s external financial assets, excluding reserves, stood at US$1.7456 trillion at the end of last year. This represented a drop of US$1
LG Energy Solution has successfully attracted nearly 5 trillion won in capital from its demand forecast for its first-ever issue of 500 billion won in corporate bonds since its foundation.According to the investment banking industry on the 22nd, LG Energy Solution received a total of 4.72 trillion w
Jim Keller, CEO of Tenstorrent and considered a living legend in the semiconductor industry, will visit the Samsung Foundry Forum 2023 in late June in San Jose, California. Keller’s recent chip development collaboration with LG Electronics has lead to an increase in his contacts with Korean companie
Korea Investment Corporation (KIC) President Jin Seung-ho said in an interview with Bloomberg on June 20 that the state-run investment company will dial up its proportion of alternative investments to 25 percent of its assets under management by 2025.“I think that our portfolio is very diverse,” Jin
The author is an analyst for Shinhan Securities. He can be reached at yjjung86@shinhan.com -- Ed.Concerns over weakening policy momentum in North AmericaIn the secondary battery sector, we had previously recommended battery separator makers as our top picks based on the following reasons: 1) benefit
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at sw.kang@nhqv.com -- Ed.Following revision of the price basket housing component to a new contractual basis, core inflation has plummeted. The culprit behind core inflation rigidity has now gradually come to be seen as bein
The South Korean government has asked the U.S. to clearly define the Chinese companies from which it should not be procuring essential minerals for electric vehicle batteries under the conditions of subsidy tax credit payments in the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).According to a U.S. government
Korean credit card companies are growing fast in Southeast Asia. KB Card has risen to the top of the local car installment market share standings in Cambodia since making a foray into the country four years ago. Shinhan Card is also earning billions of won from its installment business in Vietnam an
Foreign investors bought a record 15 trillion won (US$11.8 billion) worth of stocks and bonds in Korea’s financial market in May.According to international financial and foreign exchange market trends released by the Bank of Korea (BOK) on June 12, foreign investors recorded a net inflow of US$114.3
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at sw.kang@nhqv.com -- Ed.In June, it is necessary to check the effects of QT from the government and Fed. The FF rate is likely to remain unchanged this month. Concerns over a July hike are high, but if June headline inflati
While the number of Hyundai Card users who have adopted Apple Pay, recently launched in South Korea, continues to grow, card spending has paradoxically decreased. This trend is attributed to the spread of Apple Pay predominantly among those aged 10 to 30 and the increasing availability of Apple Pay
Recently, the won-dollar exchange rate has fluctuated the most among major currency exchange rates. This sharp change in the value of the won has been blamed on Korea’s trade deficit.According to the Bank of Korea (BOK)’s June Monetary and Credit Policy Report, the rate of changes in the won’s excha
A semiconductor conflict between the United States and China may hit Korean semiconductor companies Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. However, Fitch, an international credit rating agency, believes that the impact will be short-lived.Fitch said in a report on June 7 (local time) that the semiconduct
The stock price of SK innovation has recovered to the 200,000 won (US$152.89) range in the Korean stock market. Even in a bull market for secondary batteries at the beginning of this year, burdens from its subsidiary SK on impeded the rise of SK innovation’s stock price. However, as parent company S