Refining margins, a key indicator of profitability in the oil refinery industry, have risen steeply recently, expanding expectations for improved business performances in the second half of the year.Singapore’s composite refining margin stood at US$14.13 a barrel as of Dec. 18, the highest in about
The author is an analyst for Shinhan Securities. He can be reached at jk.ahn@shinhan.com -- Ed.US government and Fed seek to bring down inflation without a recessionThe US Fed is seeking to stabilize inflation at lower levels without a recession in hopes of avoiding a repeat of the 1970s. It has rai
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at jaemin.ahn@nhqv.com -- Ed.NAVER’s AI businesses are to kick off in earnest with the unveiling of HyperCLOVA X on Aug 24. Despite competition from global tech giants, we expect NAVER to maintain its leadership in the domest
The author is an analyst for Shinhan Securities. He can be reached at jinmyung.lee93@shinhan.com -- Ed.Kukdo Chemical reported profit gains in 2Q23 despite weak ASP, backed by sales volume growth. The Chinese epoxy resin unit returned to profit. However, epoxy market conditions continued to be weigh
Growing demand for batteries is fueling competition for key minerals. In the meantime, countries and companies leading electrification are divided over whether to utilize deep-sea resources. China, which asserts that the deep sea can be an efficient source of minerals, is faced with opposition from
South Korea, once the largest exporter to China, fell to fifth place among exporters to China in the first half of this year. This is because exports of intermediate goods to China, which account for more than 80 percent of South Korea’s exports to China, have been on a sharp decline. On the other h
A slow recovery in demand for NAND flash memory compared to DRAM has put the semiconductor industry, including Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, into a hard spot. This is because the growth of the artificial intelligence (AI) industry leading to the improved profitability of DRAM is begetting a nega
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at ys.jung@nhqv.com -- Ed.Jeju Air’s 2Q23 results missed consensus due to a significant drop in passenger fares. Amid concerns of a demand peak out, an expansion of short-haul capacity is likely to increase supply burden and
Samsung Electronics will announce a new vision for system semiconductors at the Samsung Tech Day 2023 to be held this October. The Korean semiconductor giant will flesh out its plans to develop and produce “semicon humanoids,” or more human-like robots, with human sensory functions such as smelling
The trade surplus of US$2.44 billion in the first half of this year is largely attributed to a substantial inflow of dividend income from abroad, amounting to US$1.59 billion. This analysis points to the expansion of overseas direct investments by companies that had previously heavily relied on key
The National Pension Service (NPS) has invested in a remarkably large amount of real estate in the Americas and Europe over the past three years, increasing its portfolio by over 60 percent during that time. During the same period, it increased its total amount of overseas real estate investments by
South Korea needs to strengthen its import-export trade with the United States through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program in order to become one of the top four global defense export powers, according to a Korea Institute of Industrial Economics and Trade (KIET) report titled “Recent Trends an
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at esshim@nhqv.com -- Ed.H.PIO recorded quarterly-high earnings in 2Q23 on the back of an earnings turnaround at its main business and earnings growth at subsidiaries. Led by new brand launches and cash utiliztion, the compan
The average age of employees at Hyundai Motor and Kia Corp. is on the rise. More than half of the employees are over the age of 50, but less than one in 10 are in their 20s. In this situation, their labor unions are demanding that the retirement age be extended, raising concerns that the demand will
Japanese automaker Toyota has achieved a significant milestone in its history during the second quarter of this year, surpassing 10 trillion yen in revenue for the first time and outpacing the sales of Hyundai Motor Group. However, Toyota’s market share has declined in critical markets such as the U
Hanwha Ocean is accelerating its management normalization, succeeding in its first contract since its establishment following its selection as the primary negotiator for a special naval ship.According to industry sources on Aug. 2, Hanwha Ocean signed its first shipbuilding contract with an Asian cl
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at pk.park@nhqv.com -- Ed.GC Biopharma delivered solid 2Q23 OP of W23.7bn, backed by: 1) advance recognition of 3Q23 domestic vaccine sales; and 2) cost control efforts at the nutritional foods business. In 3Q23, some earning
The author is an analyst for Shinhan Securities. He can be reached at yjjung86@shinhan.com -- Ed.After-sales parts division entering the home stretch to recoveryThe key variable determining auto sector earnings has been shifting from ASP levels (inflation) in 2022 to the normalization of supply chai
In the past month, the amount of short-selling in the domestic stock market reached its highest level ever. The surge in stock prices was triggered by a large influx of investment in secondary batteries, mainly led by individual investors.According to KOSCOM on Aug. 1, the total short-selling volume
India has blocked Chinese automakers from investing in India. This is expected to give Hyundai Motor Group of Korea reflective benefits as the Korean automaker is expanding its investments in India.According to foreign media outlets including the Economic Times of India, Chinese electric vehicle mak