Trump Tightens Iran Sanctions, Hits China and Canada With Tariffs
Trump adds third countries trading with Iran to sanctions and weighs raising China's tariff rate to 20%, while Samsung and Chinese chipmakers reshape the…
AI PRISM
Global Investor News
Curated news for global investors tracking Korean and international markets. Stay informed on cross-border capital flows, foreign investment trends, and macroeconomic developments affecting Korea.
Taiwan-Japan Chip Alliance Widens From TSMC to Physical AI
A Taiwan-Japan chip alliance is spreading across Kyushu from TSMC to physical AI, as Taiwan's direct investment in Japan hits a record 128 cases.
Cooling U.S. Prices Offer No Relief as Tariffs, Oil Keep Inflation Alive
U.S. price gains are slowing, but tariffs and $90 oil keep inflation risks alive as Nvidia lifts AI server prices 17% and Korea weighs another rate hike.
US Treasury Buyback Rally Fades in a Day as 30-Year Yield Holds at 5.25%
The U.S. Treasury's expanded bond buyback failed to hold down yields, with the 30-year rate near 5.25%, as Samsung and Anthropic drew investor attention.
US National Debt Tops $40 Trillion, Growing $7.9 Billion a Day
US national debt topped $40 trillion for the first time, growing $7.9 billion a day, as the Treasury doubles bond buybacks.
Korean Won Firms to 1,397, Below 1,400 for First Time in 10 Months
The won-dollar rate fell below 1,400 for the first time in about 10 and a half months, while Samsung and SK hynix chip stocks tumbled.
Nvidia Backs OpenAI Data Centers With $105 Billion, Reviving Circular-Financing Concerns
Nvidia's $105 billion guarantee for OpenAI's data centers has revived circular-financing concerns, while U.S. 30-year yields hit a 19-year high.
Japan's 10-Year Yield Hits 30-Year High, Surging to 2.93%
Japan's 10-year government bond yield surged to 2.93%, a 30-year high, on expectations of a September BOJ rate hike, raising fiscal-pressure concerns…
DeepSeek Raises API Prices Up to 12-Fold With V4 Pro Launch
DeepSeek raised API fees up to 12-fold with its V4 Pro launch, signaling a shift among Chinese AI firms from cost efficiency to profitability.
U.S. 10-Year Treasury Yield Tops 4.7% as Foreign Demand Slumps
U.S. 10-year Treasury auction yield hit 4.683%, the highest since the 2007 financial crisis, as foreign demand fell to a multi-month low.
Fed Weighs Inflation Over Jobs; September Rate Bet Split Down the Middle
Fed officials call inflation the bigger risk, splitting September rate odds evenly, while Nvidia credit fears ease and the KOSPI jumps 3.68%.
U.S. 10-Year Yield Tops 4.7% Again as Bessent Effort Fades
The U.S. 10-year Treasury yield topped 4.7% again as Bessent's stabilization effort fades, while BlackRock expanded Korean stakes and Nvidia set up a…
U.S. Fights Rising Long-Term Rates With Bonds, Yen and Fed
The U.S. Treasury deployed bonds, a yen intervention and Fed backing to curb long-term rates as the 30-year yield hit a 19-year high of 5.28%.
Aschenbrenner's 439% Fund Plunges 67% in a Month
Aschenbrenner's Situational Awareness fund returned 439% by June but fell 67% in July, splitting Wall Street and Silicon Valley opinion.
Iran Weighs Selective Hormuz Passage, Raising Middle East Logistics Tension
Iran's parliament reviews a bill blocking US and Israeli vessels from the Strait of Hormuz, while Nvidia weighs cutting HBM capacity in Rubin Ultra and S&P 500 momentum ETFs shine amid volatility.
Korean Won Hits 10-Month High Against Dollar Amid Stock Plunge
The won-dollar rate fell to 1,414.5 won on the 6th, its lowest in 10 months, as won strength defied a 4.6% KOSPI plunge and heavy foreign net selling of 3.3 trillion won.
Samsung, SK to Cement Memory Leadership Through 2031
Korea is expected to keep its memory chip leadership through 2031 by doubling wafer production, while Musk warns of shortages and Big Tech's undisclosed lease liabilities hit $1.09 trillion.
SpaceX Listing Fallout: 33 Trillion Won Short Bets Raise Selling Pressure
SpaceX short interest has swelled to $23.6 billion (33.7 trillion won), surpassing Tesla, amid its first earnings report and lockup expiration, raising selling pressure concerns.
US, Japan Expand Joint Intervention to Defend Yen After 28 Years
The US and Japan expanded joint intervention to defend the yen, driving the exchange rate down to the 155 yen range, while KOSPI plunged 22% in July and Samsung secured the most favorable memory LTA terms.
China's Chip Output Quadruples in Decade, Threatening Samsung, SK
China's chip output quadrupled over a decade to 484.28 billion units, threatening Samsung and SK with low-price competition, as the US and Japan jointly intervened to buy yen for the first time in 28 years.
China's AI Narrows Performance Gap With U.S. to 2.7%
China has narrowed the top-tier AI model performance gap with the U.S. to 2.7% through state-led investment, while Amazon's cloud profit surged 64% and Musk weighs splitting Tesla's China business.
Fed Holds Rate Again as 'September Hike' Signal Rattles Markets
The Fed held rates at 3.50-3.75% for a sixth time as markets priced in a September hike. Samsung posted record Q2 profit of 89 trillion won while KOSPI plunged 40%.
Who Built China's DUV Machine? The State Firm That Shook Samsung and SK
Chinese state firm Shanghai Yisheng'na's reported DUV lithography production triggered a global chip stock plunge, with KOSPI falling 16% in two days and circuit breakers triggered twice.
Nvidia's $50 Billion Data Center Lease Reignites 'Circular Financing' Debate
Nvidia's $50 billion, 15-year Texas data center lease with Hut 8 revives circular financing concerns, while China's DUV chip advance sent the KOSPI plunging 10.84%.
Broadcom Surges, CXMT Debuts as Semiconductor Landscape Shifts
Naver secures $10 billion AI alliance with Nvidia and Brookfield, Broadcom rises as anti-Nvidia core, and China's CXMT debuts with a 3.28 trillion yuan market cap, reshaping the semiconductor landscape.
US Midterms 100 Days Away; Democrats Seen Retaking House
With US midterms 100 days away, Democrats are forecast to retake the House at 60% probability, potentially triggering hearings targeting Trump, while Republicans hold the Senate.
Oil Tops $100 on Middle East War Fears; Crude, Solar ETFs Surge
Oil tops $100 on Middle East war fears, sending Korean renewable and crude ETFs soaring double digits, while China AI chip ETFs gain 31% and AMD nears an HBM4 deal with Samsung.
Red Sea Tensions Flare Again as Oil Nears $100 Threshold
Oil prices near $100 as Houthis claim attacks on Saudi tankers, while Alphabet raises capital spending to $205 billion and Japan's bond yields hit a 30-year high.
Chips Rebound, Wall Street Says KOSPI Has More Room to Run
Wall Street banks including Morgan Stanley and JP Morgan call the KOSPI's slide to 6,000 a buying opportunity as server DRAM prices surge up to 146% and Korea's DRAM export prices jump 523%.
Google Grows AI Chips, China Boosts Memory: A Boon for Samsung, SK?
Google's new AI chip and China's memory-heavy Kimi K3 model, along with U.S. foundry restrictions on Chinese firms, could benefit Samsung and SK hynix's HBM business.
Doubts Over AI Investment Grow as Chip Index Plunges 10%
The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index plunged 10% on doubts over Big Tech's AI investments, while Big Tech's "shadow debt" hit $1.65 trillion. TSMC confirmed a $265 billion Arizona investment.
US Strikes Iran for Eighth Day, Targets Hormuz Supply Lines
US strikes Iran for eighth day, targeting Hormuz supply lines as both Hormuz and Bab-el-Mandeb straits face blockade risk. Xi touts China's AI self-reliance; Chey Tae-won warns of chip supply crisis.
Chip Equipment Prices Rise Again as ASML Hikes Trigger TSMC Pushback
ASML's push to raise EUV and DUV lithography prices triggers strong pushback from TSMC, its largest customer, while China's Q3 government bond issuance heads for a record high.
IBM Plunges 25% as AI Investment Landscape Shifts
IBM shares plunged 25.21% as AI infrastructure spending shifts from software to memory hardware, while ASML posted surprise earnings and SK hynix ADR surged 27%.
Japan Bond Market Revives on Hopes Pension Fund Will Buy More Debt
Japan's GPIF weighs raising bond allocation, sending 10-year yields plunging, as Goldman flags leveraged ETF selling and Trump's 20% Hormuz toll escalates U.S.-Iran clashes.
Warning Signs in the AI Investment Boom: SpaceX Long-Term Bonds Shunned
SpaceX's BBB-rated 30-year bond spread topped 2 percentage points, exceeding the BB average, as Wall Street dealers turned net sellers of corporate bonds for the first time since 1998 amid the AI investment boom.
SK hynix Rally Over? Chip Stocks Shed 1,522 Trillion Won
KOSPI semiconductor stocks shed 1,522 trillion won over three weeks as SK hynix's ADR catalyst faded and its Q2 earnings outlook was cut, fueling chip peak fears.
China Bans Helium Exports, Rattling Chip Supply Chain Again
China abruptly banned helium exports, a key semiconductor cooling material, rattling global chip supply chains, while Japan MPE ETFs returned 105% and Taiwan first-half exports surged 47%.
US-Iran Fighting Escalates as Ceasefire Collapses, Strikes Resume
US-Iran fighting escalated into a second day with strikes on 90 sites as the Hormuz ceasefire collapsed, while Fed minutes flagged inflation risks and 90% of global markets move to T+1.
Chip Supercycle Not Over: Samsung, SK hynix Re-Rating May Begin
Meritz Securities analyst says the semiconductor supercycle could last 2-3 more years as AI demand shifts to B2B, while the NYT disputes Trump's $21 trillion investment claim and US-Iran fighting sends oil prices up 6%.
"AI Bubble Could Burst" vs "Chips Set for Record Highs": Wall Street Split
Wall Street is split over the AI rally: the U.S. Treasury warns of a bubble while JP Morgan predicts record chip highs in H2 2026. Yen selling hits a 19-year peak.
Japan's Bonds and Yen Collapse Together in Worst Rout in 40 Years
Japan's 10-year bond yield hit 2.83%, a 30-year high, as PM Takaichi signaled expansionary fiscal policy, while the yen neared a 40-year low. Nvidia's AI rack faces delay and SK hynix plans a $28.1 billion ADR listing.
SK hynix ADRs List This Week as Market Variable
SK hynix ADRs list in the U.S. on the 10th, a key market variable this week, alongside the IMF's July outlook that may raise Korea's growth forecast and Trump's deregulation of 702 rules.
Korean Won Plunges 30 Won in a Day on SK hynix Dollar Selling
The Korean won plunged 30.20 won on the 3rd as SK hynix's $29 billion ADR inflow and forward exchange selling shook the market, while Samsung Foundry won Meta and Anthropic AI chip orders.
Oracle Bets Up to $90 Billion on AI Despite Cloud Growth Slowdown
Oracle's fiscal 2026 Q4 revenue rose 21% but cloud sales missed expectations, sending shares down 10%. Its $90-95 billion capex guidance far exceeds the $69 billion consensus.
Big Short's Burry Warns AI Bubble Nearing Collapse: "800 Trillion Won Bet Is the Beginning of the End"
"Big Short" investor Michael Burry warns of an imminent AI bubble collapse, targeting Samsung and SK hynix's 800 trillion won chip investment as "the beginning of the end."
Yen Hits Lowest Level in 40 Years; Some See 165 Ahead
The yen fell to 161.78 per dollar, its lowest in about 40 years, with some forecasting 165, while the won-dollar rate surges toward a possible 1,600 won in the second half.
AI Infrastructure Bottleneck: Even Google Falls Short on Contracted Capacity
Google failed to supply Meta with contracted AI computing capacity for Gemini, confirming an AI infrastructure bottleneck across Big Tech, as Alphabet's order backlog hit $460 billion.
Iran Strikes Oil Tanker, Putting Global Crude Supply Chain on High Alert
Iran's drone strikes on a container ship and oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz reignited conflict with the U.S., putting global crude supply on alert as Korea's won weakens past 1,500.
SpaceX Plunges 32%, Korean Retail Investors on Alert
SpaceX plunged 32% within three trading days of its record Nasdaq IPO, leaving Korean retail investors who net-bought $1.87 billion at a crossroads as AI favorites like Palantir and BitMine also fall.