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SEOUL, July 26 (Reuters) - South Korea's SK Hynix (000660.KS) on Wednesday posted a worse-than-expected quarterly operating loss on weak memory chip pricing and demand, but said the market was beginning to recover from a deep downturn. In particular, memory chip demand from corporate buyers and gaming personal computers is expected to increase in the second half of the year versus the first, the world's second-biggest memory chip maker said in a statement. This compared with expectations for a 2.7 trillion won operating loss, according to 22 analyst views compiled by Refinitiv SmartEstimate, weighted toward analysts that are more consistently accurate. SK Hynix has reported losses each quarter since the fourth quarter of 2022, although the June quarter loss narrowed from a record of 3.4 trillion won loss in the March quarter. A boom in artificial intelligence, however, helped SK Hynix boost sales of high-end DRAM chips in the second quarter and narrow losses from the previous quarter.

Persons: Refinitiv SmartEstimate, 1,274.1300, Joyce Lee, Heekyong Yang, Christopher Cushing, Jamie Freed Organizations: Korea's SK Hynix, SK Hynix, Revenue, Thomson Locations: SEOUL

☆ UAW president meets with Biden as union opens automaker contract talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, July 19 (Reuters) - United Auto Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain met on Wednesday with President Joe Biden at the White House as the union briefed staff on contract talks with the Detroit Three automakers, a White House official told Reuters. The UAW leadership had asked for time to brief White House senior staff on negotiations, the official said. Fain, who is on Capitol Hill meeting with lawmakers to discuss the labor talks, has not yet endorsed Biden for re-election and has criticized some administration EV policies. "We have expectations and that's why we haven't made endorsements yet," Fain said last week. Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington Editing by Leslie Adler and Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Shawn Fain, Joe Biden, Biden, Fain, David Shepardson, Leslie Adler, Matthew Lewis Organizations: United Auto Workers, UAW, White, Detroit Three, Reuters, White House, Capitol, U.S . Energy Department, Ford, South Korea's SK, Thomson Locations: Washington

☆ UAW to open contract talks with Detroit Three automakers on Thursday
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] UAW President Shawn Fain talks with the media after chairing the 2023 Special Elections Collective Bargaining Convention in Detroit, Michigan U.S. March 27, 2023. REUTERS/Rebecca CookJuly 10 (Reuters) - The United Auto Workers union said on Monday it will open contract talks with Detroit's Big Three automakers starting on Thursday, ahead of the mid-September expiration of the current four-year labor deal. UAW President Shawn Fain has said repeatedly that the UAW wants to eliminate the two-tier wage system under which new hires earn as much as 25% less than veterans. Instead, UAW leaders will meet with auto workers on Wednesday at three Detroit-area plants to mark the beginning of talks. The White House said it has named adviser Gene Sperling as a "point person" on the UAW automaker labor talks.

Persons: Shawn Fain, Rebecca Cook, Detroit's, Fain, Ford, Jim Farley, Chuck Browning, Farley, Joe Biden, Biden, Gene Sperling, David Shepardson, David Gregorio, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Detroit , Michigan U.S, REUTERS, United Auto Workers, Detroit's Big, Chrysler, Ford Motor, General Motors, UAW, GM, Detroit Free Press, U.S, Ford, South Korea's SK, Thomson Locations: Detroit , Michigan, Detroit, Washington

☆ I'm a 25-year-old South Korean and still live with my parents. I'm ready to move out, but can't afford it.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Reena Koh | Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Due to South Korea's skyrocketing real-estate prices, she can't afford to leave her parents' home. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Park Su-Ah, a 25-year-old accounts manager in South Korea. The average cost of buying a 1,174-square-foot apartment in my city was 789.36 million Korean won, or about $606,570, in 2022. Right now, I'm an accounts manager at a publishing house where I make 2.2 million won, or about $1,690, a month. In June 2022, the average jeonse deposit for an apartment in Seoul was 680 million won, or about $522,642.

Persons: —, it's, We've, that's, aren't Organizations: Service, Wonkwang University Locations: Wall, Silicon, South Korea, Goyang, Seoul, Iksan

☆ Stocks making the biggest premarket moves: Joby, Micron, Wells Fargo, Freyr Battery and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Check out the companies making the biggest moves in premarket trading. Joby Aviation — Joby shares gained another 17% premarket. The aviation company announced a $100 million equity investment from South Korea's SK Telecom, expanding an existing partnership. Wells Fargo , JPMorgan Chase , Bank of America — The banks moved higher after passing the Federal Reserve's annual stress test Wednesday. Wells Fargo and Bank of America gained nearly 2%, while JPMorgan rose 1.6%.

Persons: Wells, Charles Schwab —, Morgan Stanley, Adam Jonas, Berkshire Hathaway, Overstock, Richard, —, Macheel, Jesse Pound, Sarah Min, Michael Bloom, Brian Evans Organizations: Aviation, New York Stock Exchange, Joby, South Korea's SK Telecom, Micron Technology, Micron, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Federal, JPMorgan, Citizens, Providence, Occidental Petroleum —, Petroleum, Berkshire, Warren Buffett, Virgin Galactic —, Virgin Galactic Locations: New York, South, Wells Fargo, Providence , Rhode Island, Wednesday's, Virgin

☆ UAW rips Biden administration on US loan to Ford joint venture battery plant
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The $9.2 billion low-cost government loan for the BlueOval SK joint venture is the biggest ever from the government auto lending program that will help finance construction of three plants in Kentucky and Tennessee. The joint venture is building battery plants in Kentucky and Tennessee. The UAW and Senator Bernie Sanders in April criticized a General Motors (GM.N)/LG Energy Solution (373220.KS) joint venture battery plant for paying workers much less than GM assembly plant employees even though it benefits from hefty U.S. government tax credits. Union workers at a nearby Ohio GM assembly plant that closed in 2019 made at least $32 an hour. The Energy Department last year awarded $2.5 billion to help finance construction of Ultium's new lithium-ion battery plants, including Warren, from the same program used for the Ford loan.

Persons: Francois Lenoir, Shawn Fain, Fain, Joe Biden’s, Ford, Biden, Bernie Sanders, Warren, David Shepardson, Aurora Ellis, Mark Porter Organizations: Ford, REUTERS, United Auto Workers, UAW, U.S . Energy Department, Ford Motor, Korea's SK, JV, Detroit Three automakers, BlueOval SK, SK, South Korea's SK Innovation, Motors, LG Energy, JV Ultium, Ohio GM, The Energy Department, Thomson Locations: Brussels, Belgium, Francois Lenoir WASHINGTON, Kentucky, Tennessee, South, America, Warren , Ohio, Ohio

☆ Ford, SK joint venture set to receive $9.2 billion US government loan for battery plants
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON, June 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. Energy Department on Thursday said it intends to loan a joint venture of Ford Motor (F.N) and South Korean battery maker SK On up to $9.2 billion to help finance construction of three new battery manufacturing plants in Tennessee and Kentucky. The conditional commitment for the low-cost government loan for the Blue Oval SK joint venture comes from the government's Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) loan program. SK On is a unit of South Korea's SK Innovation (096770.KS). The joint venture is building battery manufacturing facilities in Kentucky and Tennessee capable of collectively producing more than 80 gigawatt hours annually. Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Toby ChopraOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: David Shepardson, Toby Chopra Organizations: U.S . Energy Department, Ford Motor, SK, Blue Oval SK, Technology Vehicles Manufacturing, South Korea's SK Innovation, Thomson Locations: Korean, Tennessee, Kentucky, South

☆ Ford-SK venture to get $9.2 billion US loan for battery plants
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, June 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. Energy Department plans to lend up to $9.2 billion to a joint venture of Ford Motor (F.N) and South Korea's SK On to help it build three battery plants in Tennessee and Kentucky. The conditional commitment for the low-cost government loan for the BlueOval SK joint venture comes from the government's Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) loan program. The joint venture is building three battery manufacturing facilities in Kentucky and Tennessee capable of collectively producing more than 120 gigawatt hours annually, the Energy Department said. This is the sixth loan for battery supply chain projects from the ATVM program. Last year, the department awarded a joint venture of General Motors (GM.N) and LG Energy Solution (373220.KS) $2.5 billion to help finance construction of new lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing facilities.

Persons: Jigar Shah, Dave Webb, Robert Rhee, Ford, Jim Farley, Tesla, David Shepardson, Toby Chopra, David Evans, Alexander Smith Organizations: U.S . Energy Department, Ford Motor, Korea's SK, BlueOval SK, Technology Vehicles Manufacturing, SK, South Korea's SK Innovation, Energy Department, Energy, Ford, Lincoln, Republican, Republicans, Biden, General Motors, LG Energy, Ultium Cells, Thomson Locations: Tennessee, Kentucky, South, United States, KS, Ohio , Tennessee, Michigan, Fremont , California

☆ SK Signet to launch EV chargers with Tesla's charging standard
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 15 (Reuters) - Electric-vehicle (EV) charger maker SK Signet (260870.KN) said on Thursday it was adding products compatible with the North American Charging Standard (NACS), after major U.S. automakers Ford (F.N) and GM (GM.N) said they were adopting Tesla's (TSLA.O) model of charging. Electric vehicle charging companies are cautiously embracing Tesla's charging technology as the main U.S. standard, as they are in danger of losing out on customers if they offer only the Combined Charging System (CCS). Earlier this week, EV charging equipment makers Blink Charging (BLNK.O), ChargePoint (CHPT.N) and Tritium (DCFC.O) said they will offer chargers with Tesla's connector. The White House aims to spur deployment of hundreds of thousands of chargers, which it sees as integral to EV adoption. SK Signet will continue to provide customers with the option of other widely used standards for EV charger connections, including the CCS, CHAdeMO and the Megawatt Charging System.

Persons: Samrhitha, Maju Samuel Organizations: SK Signet, American, U.S, Ford, GM, South Korea's SK Group, EV, Tesla, CCS, CHAdeMO, Thomson Locations: U.S, South, Bengaluru

[1/5] Arlo Brownlee, an engineer, checks battery banks at GlidePath's Byrd Ranch energy storage facility in Sweeny, Texas, U.S., May 23, 2023. The battery rush also puts the Republican-controlled state at the forefront of President Joe Biden's push to expand renewable energy use. Reuters drew on previously unreported data and interviewed more than a dozen executives from private equity firms, utility companies and energy storage providers involved in some of the biggest battery storage deals for this report. But the legislation also contains provisions that industry groups said could encourage investment in battery storage. Miller said he expects ancillary market prices to "collapse" as more battery storage comes online.

Persons: Arlo Brownlee, Adrees Latif, Rhett Bennett, ”, Joe Biden's, Wood Mackenzie, Andrew Waranch, David Miller, Miller, Waranch, Dick Lewis, Andrew Tang, Chris McKissack, you've, McKissack, Nichola Groom, Laila Kearney, Richard Valdmanis, Suzanne Goldenberg Organizations: REUTERS, Korea's SK, Switzerland's UBS, Black, Energy, Texans, Republican, Reuters, U.S . Energy Information Administration, Developers, BlackRock, Jupiter, EnCap Investments, Korea's SK E, Vision Ridge Partners, UBS, SK E, SK, Mercom Capital Group, Reliability, of Texas, Spearmint Energy, Inc, Wartsila, Thomson Locations: Sweeny , Texas, U.S, BlackRock, Texas, California, Gridmatic

☆ TrendForce says SK Hynix to raise China legacy chip output capacity
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Memory chips by South Korean semiconductor supplier SK Hynix are seen on a circuit board of a computer in this illustration picture taken February 25, 2022. REUTERS/Florence Lo/Illustration/File PhotoSEOUL, May 4 (Reuters) - South Korea's SK Hynix Inc (000660.KS) plans to expand its legacy chip production capacity at its chip manufacturing facilities in China, market research firm TrendForce said. The world's second-biggest memory chip maker's long-term strategy involves shifting its capacity expansion back to South Korea, while its China chip production site caters to domestic demand in China and the legacy DRAM memory chip market, the TrendForce report said. SK Hynix did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on Thursday. Last year, SK Hynix said it had received authorisation from the U.S. Commerce Department for a year to supply equipment needed for chip production in facilities in china, without seeking additional licensing requirements.

The firm's loss widened as a global economic slowdown worsened a memory chip glut during the first quarter, prompting sluggish demand and falling prices, SK Hynix said. However, "we expect revenue to rebound in the second quarter after bottoming out in the first, driven by a gradual increase in sales volume," SK Hynix said. Such cuts will reduce inventory across the industry and improve market conditions from the current quarter, SK Hynix said. The loss is the biggest since SK Group acquired Hynix in 2012, and is the second in a row after the fourth quarter's 1.9 trillion won loss. SK Hynix shares traded up 2.1% versus a 0.2% decline in the wider market (.KS11), after the firm flagged a market rebound.

The money will be used for operational funds such as buying chip production materials, SK Hynix said in regulatory filing on Tuesday. SK Hynix's deal was the largest convertible bond in the Asia-Pacific region, excluding Japan, in a year, according to Refinitiv data. SK Hynix did not respond immediately to a request for comment on the demand. Shares in SK Hynix fell as much as 4% in Tuesday trade, while the wider market (.KS11) rose 0.4% as of 0238 GMT. SK Hynix posted a record quarterly operating loss of 1.7 trillion won ($1.38 billion) in the September-December quarter.

☆ SK Hynix to seek further exemption from US chip curbs against China -CEO
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, March 29 (Reuters) - South Korea's SK Hynix Inc (000660.KS) will ask the United States for a year's further exemption from chip curbs against China, the chief executive of the world's No. In October last year, SK Hynix said it had received authorisation from the U.S. commerce department for a year to supply equipment needed for chip production in facilities in China, without seeking additional licensing requirements. The United States announced curbs on exports of chip-making equipment to China, requiring licenses for U.S. companies to export advanced chips and chip-making equipment in a bid to slow China's technological advance. On Wednesday, the company it would pursue previously announced plans to build an advanced chip packaging plant in the United States as the review process ends. Reporting by Hyunsu Yim; Additional Reporting by Heekyong Yang; Editing by Clarence FernandezOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Factbox: Chinese chipmaking equipment manufacturers filling void left by U.S. export restrictions
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Naura's most advanced etching machine supports 55 nm and 28 nm chipmaking technology, well behind the leading edge of chip manufacturing. The firm also makes deposition machines, which apply chemicals and gases to silicon wafers throughout the chipmaking process. It produces machines that can service the 14 nm to 28 nm process nodes of its deposition machines. ADVANCED MICRO-FABRICATION EQUIPMENT INC CHINA (AMEC) (688012.SS)AMEC makes etching equipment used to remove excess material from the surface of silicon wafers. BEIJING E-TOWN SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY CO LTD (BEST)BEST produces degumming equipment used to remove photoresist chemicals during the lithography process.

☆ South Korean startup rival to Nvidia seeks $400 million valuation and plans new A.I. chip
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Sapeon was spun off from South Korea's SK Telecom in 2022 and is raising outside investment. BARCELONA, Spain — Sapeon, a South Korean artificial intelligence chip startup headquartered in California, is raising a funding round that puts its valuation above $400 million, its CEO told CNBC. The startup is backed by massive South Korean firms SK Telecom, memory-chip maker SK Hynix and SK Square, an investment company spun off of SK Telecom. But a number of established players such as AMD and startups like Sapeon, are looking to challenge Nvidia. Analysts at Bernstein expect ChatGPT to be a multi-billion dollar boon for chipmakers looking to fuel these AI models.

☆ Factbox: Potential winners and losers from the new U.S. EV charging standards
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

EV CHARGING COMPANIES: Many, including Volkswagen's (VOWG_p.DE) Electrify America, ChargePoint(CHPT.N) and EVGo (EVGO.O), will accelerate the rollout of chargers due to the federal funding. U.S. EV AUTO SECTOR: The rollout of more charging stations will encourage EV adoption in the United States. INTERSTATE HIGHWAY REST STOPS: They could see an influx of investment as companies establish charging stations along heavily traveled routes. TESLA: Under the new charging standards, the White House said EV market leader Tesla (TSLA.O) has agreed to open part of its U.S. charging network to EVs made by rivals. EV CHARGING COMPANIES: While the charging companies get financial support in their expansion efforts, only a handful of the dozen who commented to the Biden administration ahead of Wednesday's announcement said that they could meet the "Buy American" standards under the proposed timelines.

☆ SK Innovation battery unit SK On aims to raise up to $2.4 bln -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Kane Wu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SK On in December raised 2.8 trillion won from SK Innovation and 800 billion won from financial investors including Korea Investment Private Equity. A spokeswoman declined to comment on valuation but said SK On expects an additional 500 billion won from private equity funds this year as part of last year's fundraising. SK Innovation was not immediately available for comment. SK Innovation on Tuesday said it would focus spending on growing SK On this year even as the business was taking longer than it expected to turn a profit. SK On will eventually launch an initial public offering, as per an agreement with financial investors, SK Innovation said in November.

[1/2] Memory chips by South Korean semiconductor supplier SK Hynix are seen on a circuit board of a computer in this illustration picture taken February 25, 2022. SK Hynix flagged lower chip prices in the current quarter. For the fourth quarter ended December, SK Hynix swung to a worse-than-expected 1.7 trillion won ($1.38 billion) operating loss, from 4.2 trillion won profit a year earlier. Analysts had expected a 1.3 trillion won operating loss, according to Refinitiv SmartEstimate. On its earnings call, SK Hynix said it will focus its resources on advanced chips to prepare for a market upturn in 2024.

☆ Morgan Stanley has a ‘simple’ tech playbook, names TSMC and others as stocks to buy right now
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Zavier Ong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Despite the recent rally, few believe the downturn in tech has bottomed — but Morgan Stanley believes investors should not sit on the sidelines. Stay invested even if a recession strikes Morgan Stanley believes investors should continue to selectively own Asia tech names even if a widely anticipated recession materializes, given the sector's historical resilience. Stock picks Morgan Stanley recommends investing in commodity and consumer cyclical companies "that will likely be first to come out of the downturn." Morgan Stanley also likes Samsung Electronics on the back of its market share gains, dividend support and potential for growth through M & A. Morgan Stanley has a price target of 700 Taiwan dollars ($23.10) on TSMC, which implies an upside of around 40%.

Despite layoff announcements and signs of a slowdown elsewhere in the economy, the labor market for clean energy jobs remains tight. said Abigail Ross Hopper, president of the Solar Energy Industries Association trade group. The Biden Administration has repeatedly promised that new green energy jobs would be well-paying union jobs. Some solar companies have tried to recruit veterans, saying the skills learned in military life translate well to the industry. Utility scale solar developer SOLV Energy, SunPower and Nextracker last year teamed up with nonprofit Solar Energy International to fund a women-only training program for solar installers.

☆ China is still racing to develop its own mRNA jabs. But they won't use foreign vaccines to fight COVID because of 'national pride,' says South Korea's top vaccine maker.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

It hasn't yet approved any mRNA vaccines. But SK Bioscience says China is unlikely to source foreign COVID-19 vaccines, due to "national pride." SK Bioscience has developed its own COVID-19 vaccine, which is now being used in South Korea. "China has administered 3.4 billion doses of COVID vaccines for its people, covering over 90% of its population," said Liu. Even so, Chinese drugmakers are racing to produce mRNA vaccines against COVID-19.

☆ South Korea's SK On plans a new, lower cost EV battery by 2025
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Joseph White | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) and EV startup Rivian (RIVN.O) also have announced plans to use LFP batteries. LFP batteries can be produced at lower cost, but deliver less range than comparable nickel-cobalt EV batteries. LFP batteries made in China can have a 20% cost advantage over nickel cobalt batteries. Battery makers and automakers are expanding EV battery capacity globally, and some industry analysts have questioned whether that could result in oversupply. Raising the capital required to fund investments in capacity and new chemistries is one of SK On's main challenges, Lee said.

☆ A China ‘spending boom?’ Your guide to emerging market investing in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Fred Imbert | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

"We're going to have a spending boom in China, at least in the first half of the year," said Mehran Nakhjavani, emerging market strategist at MRB Partners. How to play emerging markets in 2023 Regardless, there are several ways for investors to get exposure to emerging markets. Perhaps the easiest way is by investing in the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM). Another vehicle through which to play emerging markets is the First Trust Emerging Markets Small Cap AlphaDex ETF (FEMS) . The fund is the best-performing emerging markets ETF this year, according to Morningstar, with a year-to-date return of just over 1%.

☆ South Korea's SK Group may sell some Southeast Asia assets
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, Dec 26 (Reuters) - South Korea's second-largest conglomerate SK Group (034730.KS) said on Monday it is considering selling some of its assets in Southeast Asia and reinvesting in other businesses in countries in the region, including Vietnam. An SK Group spokesperson said in a statement the conglomerate plans to decide which assets to potentially sell depending on buyers' offers, and is considering reinvesting some of the proceeds from any stake sales in local firms. The statement didn't disclose details of which assets might be sold. The comments came after South Korean newspaper the Korea Economic Daily reported SK's plans late on Sunday citing unnamed investment banking sources. Assets held by SK Group's Southeast Asia investment firm that could be sold, according to the paper, include stakes in Vietnam's Vingroup (VIC.HM), Masan Group (MSN.HM), retail pharmacy chain Pharmacity, retailer VinCommerce and consumer retail platform The Crown X.

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