DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ South Korea's LGES revives Arizona battery factory plan with $5.6 bln investment
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, March 24 (Reuters) - South Korea's LG Energy Solution Ltd (LGES) (373220.KS) said on Friday it would invest 7.2 trillion won ($5.58 billion) to build a battery factory in Arizona, reviving a project paused last year due to adverse economic conditions. Friday's announcement comes after LGES in January said it had been in "active discussion" with Tesla and electric vehicle startups to supply batteries from the proposed factory. Automakers and EV battery producers are racing to set up manufacturing in the United States to take advantage of federal subsidies that could generate up to $45 per kilowatt hour (kWh) to offset the costs of production. LGES, which supplies Tesla, General Motors Co (GM.N) and others, also has production sites in South Korea, China, Poland, Canada and Indonesia. Shares of LGES were trading down 1.6% versus a 0.4% fall in the benchmark KOSPI (.KS11) as of 0620 GMT.

☆ Most Asian shares reverse early losses after US Fed raises rates by a quarter point
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Juliana Liu | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Hong Kong CNN —Most Asia Pacific shares pared early losses on Thursday, after the US Federal Reserve reaffirmed its dedication to bring down inflation. The broader Topix index was 0.3% lower, reversing some of its early morning losses. South Korea’s Kospi was 0.2% higher, while Australia’s S&P ASX 200 advanced by half a percentage point. Asian shares had opened broadly lower, tracking losses on Wall Street. The Fed raised rates by a quarter point at the conclusion of its two-day meeting, even though its historic rate hiking campaign was a contributing factor in the banking crisis.

A sign is posted on the exterior of a First Republic Bank office on March 16, 2023 in San Francisco, California. Asia-Pacific markets rose on Wednesday as investors looked ahead to the U.S. Federal Reserve's latest update on its rate hike decision, as the central bank attempts to balance its inflation fight and stem a banking crisis. Japanese markets led gains in the region, with the Nikkei 225 up 1.54% and the Topix higher at 1.77% after breaching the 2% level earlier. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.9%, while in South Korea, the Kospi rose 0.67% and the Kosdaq advanced 0.78%.

☆ Asia Pacific shares join US gains as investors await key Fed decision
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Juliana Liu | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong CNN —Asia Pacific shares opened higher on Wednesday, tracking US gains, as investors awaited the US Federal Reserve’s next monetary policy decision later in the day. Hong Kong’s benchmark Hang Seng (HSI) index was trading 2.3% higher, leading gains in the region. The MSCI Asia Pacific index, which excludes Japanese companies, was broadly higher, rising 0.8%. On Tuesday, US stocks closed higher as shares of regional banks rebounded from record-breaking losses earlier in the month. The SPDR Regional Banking ETF (KRE), which tracks a number of small and mid-sized bank stocks, gained 5.8% for the day.

☆ Asia Pacific stocks rise as banking concerns ease, recession fears continue ahead of Fed meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong CNN —Stocks in the Asia Pacific region rose Tuesday as concerns about the global banking sector eased in response to a whirlwind of intervention by policymakers and industry players. The S&P/ASX 200 in Australia jumped 1.3%, boosted by its AXFJ index, a measure of banking stocks, which surged 1.7%. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index (HSI) opened up 0.8%. US stock futures were flat in Asian trade Tuesday, with Dow futures, S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq futures little changed. Still, recession fears continue to dog investors ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s meeting, which is set to conclude Wednesday.

☆ Asia Pacific markets dip after UBS rescue of Credit Suisse
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong CNN —Asia Pacific markets edged slightly lower on Monday morning as investors reacted to news of a Credit Suisse bailout by its bigger rival UBS. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index (HSI) tumbled 1.5% at its opening. On Sunday, Switzerland’s biggest bank, UBS (UBS), agreed to buy Credit Suisse (CS) in an emergency rescue deal aimed at stemming financial market panic unleashed by the failure of two American banks earlier this month. “Volatility in Australian financial markets has picked up,” he told a conference Monday. Dow futures and S&P futures each rose 0.6%, while Nasdaq futures ticked up 0.4%.

☆ Asian markets rebound after First Republic Bank gets rescued by US lenders
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —Asian markets rebounded Friday after First Republic Bank was rescued by a group of major US lenders, which eased worries about the current banking turmoil. First Republic Bank (FRC) is set to receive a $30 billion lifeline from a group of America’s largest banks, including JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Bank of America (BAC), Wells Fargo (CBEAX), Citigroup (C) and Truist (TFC). “Following the recent global financial instabilities, First Republic Bank was expected to be the next domino to fall,” said Yeap Jun Rong, a market analyst at IG. Worries deepened on Wednesday after shares of Credit Suisse plummeted in Europe. Regulators on both sides of the Atlantic have taken emergency measures to shore up confidence, including protecting deposits at Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank and giving a $54 billion lifeline to Credit Suisse.

☆ Asian bank stocks sink as Credit Suisse fear roils markets
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —Banking stocks in Asia fell on Thursday, dragging the broader markets lower, as troubles at Credit Suisse sparked fears that banking turmoil is spreading around the world. The lender said it would borrow up to 50 billion Swiss Francs ($53.7 billion) from the Swiss National Bank. In Hong Kong, Standard Chartered (SCBFF) sank nearly 4%. Local bank BOC Hong Kong was down 3.1%. The bank failures had already forced US regulators to take emergency measures on Sunday to protect deposits at both lenders: Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank.

☆ Asian markets tumble as SVB fears rattle banking sector
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Investors are now on edge over whether the demise of SVB could spark a broader banking sector meltdown. On Monday, US stocks were mixed, with banking shares taking a hit. In Hong Kong, shares in Bank of China (Hong Kong) and Hang Seng Bank fell 3.7% and 1.3% respectively. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group and Mizuho Financial Group both dropped more than 7%. In Seoul, KB Financial Group and Shinhan Financial Group fell 3.6% and 2.5% respectively.

☆ US futures and Asia Pacific stocks react to SVB recovery efforts
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

On Sunday, the Biden administration promised that customers of the failed Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature Bank would have access to all their money starting Monday. In a joint statement, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Chairman Martin J. Gruenberg said the FDIC will make SVB and Signature Bank’s customers whole. In a related action, the government shut down Signature Bank, a regional bank that was teetering on the brink of collapse in recent days. “Cross-asset traders of all stripes are heaving a sigh of relief as bank runs have a tendency to catch on globally,” he told CNN. Bank shares in Asia were under pressure Monday, following a heavy rout for their US and European counterparts late last week.

Europe’s benchmark Stoxx Europe 600 index fell 1.5% in early trading, while London’s bank-heavy FTSE 100 (UKX) index slid 1.8%. Meanwhile, Japan’s Nikkei ended Friday down 1.7% as the country’s central bank decided to keep its ultra-low interest rates unchanged. Futures on the benchmark S&P 500 (DVS) index fell 0.43%, while futures on the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (COMP) dropped 0.2%. Wall Street wipeoutThe losses come after US bank stocks logged the largest falls in nearly three years on Thursday. The KBW Bank Index, which tracks 24 leading US banks, fell 7.7%, its biggest drop in almost three years.

☆ Asia stocks see bright side after Nvidia sounds upbeat
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Tom Westbrook | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Shares in the giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (2330.TW) rose 2.2% to lift Taiwan's benchmark (.TWII) 1.3%. A 4% gain for SK Hynix (000660.KS) and a 2% gain for Samsung (005930.KS) drove South Korea's Kospi (.KS11) 1% higher. The Bank of Korea also offered some relief by ending a year-long run of uninterrupted rate hikes with a pause - as expected. Wall Street indexes fell overnight and are eyeing their worst week of the year so far as stronger-than-forecast U.S. labour, inflation, retail sales and manufacturing figures have traders pricing interest rates staying higher for longer. "Markets have been forced to reprice interest rate expectations, not just higher, but also questioning the view that once peak rates are hit, central banks will pivot quickly to cutting interest rates," said ANZ economist Finn Robinson.

☆ Stocks struggle to make headway as rate rises loom
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Tom Westbrook | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) touched its lowest since Jan. 6 in early trade. Nasdaq futures (.NQc1) rose 0.9% after a revenue beat at chip designer Nvidia (NVDA.O) sent its shares up 9% after-hours. Oil nursed sharp overnight losses, and Brent crude futures clung to support around $80 a barrel on Thursday. "Markets have been forced to reprice interest rate expectations, not just higher, but also questioning the view that once peak rates are hit, central banks will pivot quickly to cutting interest rates," said ANZ economist Finn Robinson. The Bank of Korea did, however, offer some dose of relief by ending a year-long run of uninterrupted rate hikes with a pause.

☆ Asia-Pacific markets mixed as investors digest Fed minutes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

"Singapore's external sector had another very tough month in January, and we doubt this marks the bottom," an economist said. Asia Pacific markets opened mixed on Thursday after the U.S. Federal Reserve released the minutes of its most recent meeting that showed central bank members are still committed to fighting inflation with rate hikes. The S&P/ASX 200 opened 0.21% lower, while the South Korean Kospi started the day 0.5% higher and the Kosdaq rose 0.45% higher. A poll of 42 economists expect the Bank of Korea to hold its lending rate at 3.5%. Hong Kong and Singapore are expected to release their consumer price indexes, with Singapore's CPI expected to come in at 7.1% for January.

Aerial view by drone of Tokyo Cityscape with Tokyo Sky Tree visible in Tokyo city, Japan on sunrise. Asia-Pacific markets are set to open mixed on Wednesday as investors look ahead to key economic data across the region. Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 0.7% as investors further digested the nation's producer price index that rose 1.6% on an annualized basis. Economists expect it to come in at 3.5% in the fourth quarter on an annualized basis , according to a Reuters poll. In New Zealand, the S&P/NZX 50 Index fell 0.64%, ahead of the central bank's interest rate hike decision.

View of the Yarra River flowing through Melbourne city centre in Australia. Asia-Pacific markets are set to fall on Tuesday as investors await regional private surveys for factory activity. The PMI index encompasses services and manufacturing, and is seen as a reliable gauge of economic health. Reserve Bank of Australia will release minutes from its February policy meeting, when it hiked interest rates by 25 basis points to 3.35%. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 fell 0.16% and the Topix was marginally lower ahead of the au Jibun Bank Flash Japan Manufacturing PMI.

☆ Stocks shrug off rates risk as U.S. consumers spend
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Tom Westbrook | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Equities - with the Nasdaq (.IXIC) up 15% so far this year - are clinging to the positives, while in interest rate markets investors are quickly ditching hopes for cuts later in 2023. Two-year Treasury yields , which also track short-term interest rate expectations, hit their highest since November at 4.703% overnight. S&P 500 futures rose 0.2%. Elsewhere the repricing of the interest rates outlook is putting an end to a couple months of selling of the dollar in currency markets. The U.S. dollar index is eying a third weekly gain in a row - the longest streak since September, when the index was galloping towards a 20-year high.

☆ Asia stocks head for second weekly loss as Fed rate worries flare
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Kevin Buckland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

TOKYO, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Asia-Pacific stocks fell on Friday, slumping toward a second weekly loss as investors fretted about the potential for further Federal Reserve tightening and the effect on the U.S. economy. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares (.MIAP00000PUS) sank 0.54% and was on course for a 1% weekly decline, after losing 1.16% in the previous week. "If rates go past that five, five-and-a-quarter percent range that the Fed has previously indicated, markets are definitely not priced for that - absolutely not." The 10-year yield edged down to around 3.67% after bumping around 3.96% mid-week, also the highest since Jan. 6. Brent crude futures fell 28 cents, or 0.3%, to $84.22 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures fell 35 cents, or 0.5%, to $77.71.

☆ Asia-Pacific markets trade mixed ahead of China's inflation data: Live updates
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

BEIJING, CHINA - MAY 27: A general view of the skyline of the central business district at sunset on May 27, 2020 in Beijing, China. Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed on Friday, following moves on Wall Street and ahead of China's inflation data. Economists polled by Reuters are expecting to see core prices in China rise by 2.2% on an annualized basis. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.68% in its first hour of trade as investors await the Reserve Bank of Australia's statement on monetary policy. Earlier this week, the central bank raised its benchmark interest rates by 25 basis points to 3.25%.

☆ Asia-Pacific markets mixed as Fed says inflation on the decline
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

People shopping along the streets of Shinsaibashi in Osaka, Japan. Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed on Wednesday, as Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell overnight acknowledged that inflation is declining — a sign the central bank may soon pause its rate hikes. The S&P/ASX 200 climbed 0.3% in its first hour of trade, as investors further digested the Reserve Bank of Australia's 25 basis point hike on Tuesday, largely in line with expectations but including hawkish commentary. The Nikkei 225 fell 0.34%, dragged down by declining shares of Nintendo and Softbank after posting disappointing results – the Topix gained 0.12%. The Kospi in South Korea rose 0.68% and the Kosdaq rose 0.63%.

☆ Asia markets trade mixed after Wall Street's tech-fueled rally
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

NANJING, CHINA - JANUARY 31: People purchase lanterns at Nanjing Confucius Temple ahead of the Lantern Festival on January 31, 2023 in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province of China. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)Stocks in the Asia-Pacific were mixed on Friday after Wall Street's rally driven by technology stocks. The Nikkei 225 in Japan rose 0.28% and the Topix fell 0.09%. In South Korea, the Kospi also fell 0.06% at the open while the Kosdaq rose fractionally. The au Jibun Bank Japan Services Purchasing Managers' Index for January is slated to be published, after four months of readings marking growth.

☆ Asia-Pacific markets trade mixed as investors digest Fed's smaller quarter-point hike
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Foreign currency dealers work in a dealing room of Hana Bank in Seoul, South Korea, on Monday, Jan. 3, 2022. South Korea's Kospi advanced as much as 1.1% on the first trading day of 2022 on foreign purchases. South Korea's Kospi rose 0.9% and the Kosdaq gained 1.16%. South Korea's consumer price index rose 5.2% in the first month of 2023 on an annualized basis, ticking upward for the first time in three months, government data showed. The Korean won stood at 1,221.18 against the U.S. dollar while the dollar index fell by a percent to stand at 101.08.

☆ Asia-Pacific shares trade higher as investors gear up for Fed rate hike decision
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

People watch fireworks on the street during the Torch Festival on January 27, 2023 in Jieyang, China. Asia-Pacific shares traded higher as investors looked ahead to the Federal Reserve's Wednesday meeting, as well as some economic data in the region. Japan's Nikkei 225 gained 0.8% and the Topix climbed 0.7% even as Japan's factory activity logs a third consecutive month of contraction in January. South Korea's Kospi advanced 0.74% and the Kosdaq rose 0.78%, as South Korea's export numbers in January fell 16.6% on an annualized basis. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index rose 0.47% in early trade.

☆ Asia markets fall as China stocks set for bull run on return from holiday
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Visitors on Central Street of the Taipa Village in Macau, China, on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023. Tourism and spending are reviving in Macau as the Lunar New Year holiday spurred a jump in visitors after pandemic travel restrictions were eased between the territory and mainland China. Stocks in the Asia-Pacific traded mostly lower on Monday ahead of mainland Chinese markets resuming trade after a week-long New Year break. Stocks on Wall Street ended the week last Friday higher, fueled by gains in Tesla shares and a better-than-expected GDP report on Thursday. All major averages posted a positive week and are on pace for a month of gains.

The company offered a positive outlook in the North American market, where it sees a growing number of customers requesting made-in-USA batteries to be qualified for federal EV subsidies. The company had secured additional orders worth about 20 trillion won in the fourth quarter, Chief Financial Officer Lee Chang-sil added. LGES reported operating profit of 237 billion won ($193 million) for the October-December period, versus 76 billion won a year earlier. That compared with an average analyst forecast of 256 billion won compiled by Refinitiv SmartEstimate. Revenue for the quarter rose 92% to 8.5 trillion won, LG Energy said in a regulatory filing.

Search resuls for: "KOSPI"

25 mentions found