Korea Economic Daily

[Breaking] Won-dollar exchange rate tops 1,520 won…first time since the financial crisis Kim So-yeon, Hankyung.com reporter sue123@hankyung.com

South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI tumbled nearly 3% on concerns the conflict in the Middle East could broaden, retreating to the 5,270 level. On the 30th, the KOSPI closed at 5,277.3, down 161.57 points (2.97%) from the previous session. The index at one

Delays in legalization at home Abroad moves first to set the rules for a digital won Financial Desk Reporter Mi-hyun Jo “The offshore won non-deliverable forward (NDF) market is large, but I didn’t expect the U.S. to roll out a won stablecoin-based N

Rising oil prices amplify inflation pressures Even the possibility of Fed rate hikes is being mentioned Strong U.S. corporate earnings and expanding AI investment are positives Economic and financial crises are a bigger threat than geopolitical tensi

As the war between the United States/Israel and Iran drags on, Japan is seeing an accelerating “triple slump,” with stock prices, the yen’s value and government bond prices all falling. Analysts say losses are mounting because Japan depends on the Mi

International oil prices jumped more than 3% after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would "take Iranian crude," as tensions escalate on the Middle East front amid moves such as the deployment of U.S. ground troops and the entry of Yemen’s Houthi r

Pakistan to directly mediate between the U.S. and Iran U.S. and Iran also 'trust' Pakistan’s mediation Pakistan has said it will mediate direct talks between the United States and Iran. Observers say Islamabad is moving in earnest to craft a diplomat

Kharg, which 'handles 90% of Iran’s oil exports' Seven islands forming an 'arched defensive line' in the Strait of Hormuz? As reports emerge that the United States has deployed about 7,000 ground troops near Iran, attention is turning to where any ac

Daeyoung Kim, Hankyung.com reporter kdy@hankyung.com

Houthis: “Launched ballistic missiles at Israel” Iran strikes US base in Saudi Arabia US begins preparations for a ground campaign Trump: If the war expands, efforts to end it will be derailed Fears public sentiment could sour if US casualties rise T

Yemen’s Houthi rebels joining the Iran war heightens uncertainty International oil-price volatility also weighs on the Shanghai market This week (March 30–April 3), New York stocks are expected to see increased volatility depending on the trajectory

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Koo Yun-cheol suggested that if international oil prices rise to around $120–$130 per barrel, the government could expand the five-day vehicle rotation scheme to the private sector. Appearing

As import resource prices rise Costs to increase by ¥9tn–¥15tn A projection has emerged that the rise in global energy prices could inflict a negative impact of up to ¥15tn on Japan’s economy. If crude oil prices climb 10%, consumer prices are expect

Pro-Iran Houthi rebels enter the war Missile strikes on Israel Likely move to block the Bab el-Mandeb Strait Key energy shipping lane through which 12% of the world’s crude oil passes Possible threat to “cut undersea cables” On the 28th (local time),

Dollar rises as Middle East tensions worsen Higher oil prices weigh on the yen Focus on Japanese authorities’ yen-buying intervention The yen-dollar exchange rate climbed above 160 yen per dollar for the first time in 1 year and 8 months. The move wa

Houthi rebels fire missiles at Israel Concerns grow over the Red Sea, a global logistics artery As the war sparked by U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran enters its second month, Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have officially joined the conflict by

Nationwide average gasoline: 1,855.7 won Seoul peak price: 2,498 won The government has begun implementing the second-phase price cap system (a ceiling on refiners’ supply prices), but fuel prices nationwide posted double-digit gains for a second con

A report said concerns are spreading among senior officials in the U.K. and Europe that the United States could sever ties with its NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) allies and align with Russia. On the 27th (local time), The Times cited a re

Israel bombs Iranian nuclear facility Bushehr nuclear plant hit for the third time this month The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) said the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant was attacked at around 11:40 p.m. on the 27th (local time). According to

U.S. President Donald Trump on the 27th (local time) warned that “Cuba is next,” hinting at the possibility of military action. According to Reuters, speaking at an investment forum in Miami, Florida, Trump touted the U.S. military’s operational achi

U.S. equities tumbled across the board on the 27th (local time) as fears of a wider conflict intensified after the United States and Israel carried out airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities and steel plants. In trading at the New York Stock Exchang

Reports say the United States and Iran are set to meet directly to hold talks aimed at ending the war, about a month after it began. According to Reuters and dpa on the 27th (local time), German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said the U.S. and Iran

Trump pauses strikes again…a war with no exit in sight It has been a month-long war pitting the words of U.S. President Donald Trump against Iranian drones costing $20,000 (about 30 million won). Iran, whose air and naval power was effectively neutra

Surge in safe-haven demand for dollars "If ground troops are deployed, it will top 1,550 won" The won has depreciated 4.59% over the past month as oil prices and the dollar surged amid the war in the Middle East. The yield on three-year Korea Treasur

Margin loans near record high at 33 trillion won Despite financial regulators issuing stern warnings over so-called “debt investing” (borrowing to invest) and other high-risk strategies, the scale of such borrowing continues to be tallied at record-h

The output gap: demand minus supply Turned positive from 2022 Strong inflationary pressure, in other words Japan’s economy appears to have shifted into an “excess demand” state starting about four years ago. With inflationary pressures mounting, expe

KOSDAQ gains The KOSPI fell for a second straight session as uncertainty over U.S.-Iran ceasefire talks and weakened investor sentiment toward semiconductor stocks following Google’s “Turbo Quant” weighed on the market. On the 27th, the KOSPI closed

Laura Cooper, Global Investment Strategist at Nuveen, a global asset manager "Stagflation if oil tops $144" Expects 10-year yield at 4.25% by year-end Investment flows still concentrated in US assets US tech stocks have defensive risk characteristics

U.S. stocks tumbled across the board as expectations for a U.S.-Iran ceasefire faded. On June 26 (local time), the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 45,947.81, down 481.68 points (1.01%) from the previous session at the New York Stock Exchange.

◆ Wall Street: Risk appetite hit by Trump and Google-related negatives…markets close sharply lower All three major U.S. stock indexes ended in the red. On the 26th (local time), at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the Dow Jones Industrial Average