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☆ S.Korea market watchdog urges preemptive risk management by foreign firms
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, July 12 (Reuters) - The head of South Korea's financial supervisory agency asked foreign financial firms on Wednesday for preemptive risk management in the face of various uncertainties. "Especially, I request that you do your best to maintain financial soundness and proactive risk management by pre-emptively responding to recent external and internal uncertainties," Lee Bok-hyun, governor of the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS), told firms. Representatives from 11 foreign institutions including JPMorgan Chase Bank, HSBC Bank, MUFG Bank, Yuanta Securities, Goldman Sachs Securities, insurers, and investment companies attended. Lee also told the meeting, which is held once or twice a year, about progress in regulatory changes and authorities' efforts to improve foreign access to financial markets, the FSS said in a statement. Reporting by Jihoon Lee; editing by Robert BirselOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Lee Bok, hyun, Lee, Jihoon Lee, Robert Birsel Organizations: Financial Supervisory Service, JPMorgan Chase Bank, HSBC Bank, MUFG Bank, Yuanta Securities, Goldman, Goldman Sachs Securities, Thomson Locations: SEOUL, Goldman Sachs

☆ BOK to hold base rate at 3.50% on Thursday, rate cut call pushed to 2024, Reuters poll shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Anant Chandak | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SummaryCompanies BOK to hold base rate at 3.50% at July 13 meetingBENGALURU, July 11 (Reuters) - The Bank of Korea (BOK) will keep its key policy rate unchanged at 3.50% on Thursday and for the rest of the year as inflation continued to ease, a Reuters poll of economists predicted, but rate cut forecasts were pushed back by a quarter to early 2024. Median forecasts showed interest rates would remain on hold until the end of this year, followed by a 25 basis-point cut in the first quarter of 2024. In a May poll the quarter percentage-point cut was expected to come by end-2023. But a rate cut will depend on how quickly inflation falls. The survey also predicted South Korea's economy would grow 1.2% this year and 2.3% in 2024, the same as the previous survey.

Persons: BOK, Irene Cheung, Anant Chandak, Devayani Sathyan, Susobhan Sarkar, Jonathan Cable, Hari Kishan, Jan Harvey Organizations: Bank of Korea, U.S . Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, Reuters, ANZ, U.S . Fed, Thomson Locations: BENGALURU, South Korea, Asia

☆ Central banks in Asia could soon diverge from the Fed, Nomura says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Francois Lochon | Gamma-rapho | Getty ImagesCentral banks in Asia could start cutting rates earlier than the Federal Reserve, economists at Nomura predicted. "Our view of Asian central banks cutting policy rates ahead of the Fed in this cycle is based on the fundamental divergences between Asian and U.S. economies," Nomura economists wrote. China's producer prices have already entered deflation territory, while South Korea's inflation hovered around 2.7%, nearing its central bank's target. Seoul could start cutsNomura expects the Bank of Korea to be one of the first central banks after China to cut rates. They pointed to the central bank's governor Rhee Chang-yong shrugging off investor concerns about a weakening South Korean currency.

Persons: Francois Lochon, Sonal Varma, Nomura, lockdowns, BOK, Rhee Chang, Rhee Organizations: Getty, Federal Reserve, Nomura, Federal, Bank of, CNBC, Korean, U.S Locations: Seoul, South, Asia, U.S, China, sputter, Indonesia, Philippines, India, Korea, Singapore, Bank of Korea

"But at the same time, it just puts the Fed in a position where they've got more work to do." Wall Street's main indexes ended sharply lower in a broad selloff in the previous session, with the benchmark S&P 500 posting its biggest daily percentage drop in six weeks, after employment data on Thursday showed the number of jobs more than doubled in June. Six of the 11 major S&P 500 sectors advanced in mid-day trading, with commodity stocks such as energy (.SPNY) and materials (.SPLRCM) up over 1% each and outperforming the broader market. Among other movers, the S&P 500 banking index (.SPXBK) gained 1.4%. The S&P index recorded three new 52-week highs and four new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 28 new highs and 49 new lows.

Persons: Levi Strauss, we're, Steve Wyett, they've, Austan Goolsbee, Russell, Wells, Tesla, Bansari Mayur Kamdar, Johann M, Caroline Valetkevitch, Shinjini Organizations: Dow, Nasdaq, BOK, Traders, Chicago Fed, Dow Jones, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Alibaba, Ant Group, NYSE, Thomson Locations: Beijing, Washington, China, Bengaluru

☆ Supply chains becoming more complex as companies diversify, CEO says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailSupply chains becoming more complex as companies diversify, CEO saysSupply chains are becoming more complex, but "omnisourcing" is vital for security of supply, says DP DHL Supply Chain Division CEO Oscar de Bok.

Persons: Oscar de Bok Organizations: DP DHL, Chain

☆ 5 vegetarian Fourth of July recipes for your cookout
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-02 | by ( Meghan Hynes Cole | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Vegetarian Ideas for the Fourth of JulyEven if you’re a fan of meaty burgers and dogs, don’t forget about the vegetarians when you’re working on your Fourth of July menu this year. We have plenty of desserts that vegetarians and vegans can enjoy at your cookout, too, so don’t worry! Use a variety of seasonal vegetables and a zesty herb marinade to make this colorful, crowd-pleasing dish for the Fourth of July. Tara Donne / Food NetworkGet the Recipe: Morgan’s Veggie PattiesGrilled Barbecued Corn RibsThink ribs, but make them vegetarian. Matt Armendariz / Food NetworkGet the Recipe: Super Summery Corn GnocchiMore Fourth of July food9 Fourth of July appetizers everyone will loveFestive cocktails perfect for any Fourth of July celebration8 easy sides to round out your Fourth of July menuFantastic recipes for your Fourth of July bashFourth of July desserts that will steal the show

Persons: Tara Donne, Matt Armendariz, Baby Bok Choy, Baby Bok, chiles Organizations: Food, Fresno

☆ Oil ticks down on interest rate hike fears
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Arathy Somasekhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Summary Rate hike expectations boost fears of slow economic growthWeak economic data in China weighs on sentimentHOUSTON, June 29 (Reuters) - Oil prices edged lower on Thursday, as fears that rising interest rates could dent global economic growth and crude demand offset a bigger-than-expected fall in U.S. inventories. Brent crude futures fell 38 cents, or 0.5%, to $73.66 a barrel by 1127 a.m. Investors were concerned about rising interest rates and economic growth after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell reiterated that he expects the moderate pace of interest rate decisions to continue in the coming months. "Crude traders remain torn between rising interest rates with fears of a global recession against elevated travel demand and shrinking crude supplies," said Dennis Kissler, senior vice president of trading at BOK Financial. "The lack of prospects for fuel demand growth has limited the gain in oil prices, even with supply curbs by oil producers," said Tetsu Emori, CEO of Emori Fund Management Inc.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Dennis Kissler, Christine Lagarde, Tetsu Emori, Ahmad Ghaddar, Yuka Obayashi, Jason Neely, David Evans, Barbara Lewis, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Brent, . West Texas, U.S . Energy Information Administration, Investors, Federal Reserve, BOK Financial, European Central Bank, Emori Fund Management Inc, Thomson Locations: China, HOUSTON, European, Saudi Arabia, OPEC, London

☆ Oil dips on demand worries as more rate hikes likely
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Arathy Somasekhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

More U.S. interest rate hikes also seemed likelier. San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank President Mary Daly said two more rate hikes this year was a "very reasonable" projection. The Bank of England rate rise triggered fund liquidation and energy producers were moving to a "hedge now" mentality, Kissler added. Higher interest rates increase borrowing costs for businesses and consumers, which could slow economic growth and reduce oil demand. Risk-aversion among investors also boosted the value of the U.S. dollar, which pressures oil prices by making the commodity more expensive for other currency holders.

Persons: Brent, Mary Daly, Dennis Kissler, China's, Alex Lawler, Sudarshan, Philippa Fletcher, Kirsten Donovan, Louise Heavens, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Fed's Daly Bank of, HOUSTON, . West Texas, Bank of England, San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank, EU, BOK, The Bank of, U.S ., Thomson Locations: Norway, Switzerland, San, China, Saudi, OPEC

☆ Oil prices rise as Saudi output cuts outweigh weak demand signals
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Arathy Somasekhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. crude stocks fell by about 450,000, according to data from the Energy Information Administration, compared with estimates for a 1 million build. Diesel inventories rose by 5.1 million barrels, while markets had estimated a build of 1.33 million. Gasoline inventories also rose more-than-expected at 2.8 million barrels, compared with estimates for a build of 880,000 barrels. Wednesday's data also showed that crude oil imports into China, the world's largest oil importer, rose to their third-highest monthly level in May as refiners built up inventories. A weaker greenback helps demand as oil becomes cheaper for foreign buyers.

Persons: Dennis Kissler, refiners, Morgan, Arathy Somasekhar, Ahmad Ghaddar, Yuka Obayashi, Muyu Xu, David Goodman, Mark Potter, Bernadette Baum, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Brent, U.S, West Texas, Saudi, OPEC, BOK Financial, Energy Information Administration, Federal, Organisation for Economic Cooperation, Development, Thomson Locations: HOUSTON, Saudi, China, Houston, London

☆ Bank of Korea: less desirable to increase gold holdings at this point
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, June 6 (Reuters) - The Bank of Korea (BOK) assesses it is more desirable to maintain its dollar liquidity than to increase gold holdings for foreign exchange reserves at this point, the central bank said. "A cautious approach is necessary for determining whether to increase the ratio of gold in the foreign exchange reserves," the BOK's Reserve Management Group said on Tuesday. The BOK released the gold management policy along with the results of its first inspection of gold holdings on May 23. It said the inspection at the Bank of England, where all of its gold holdings are stored, concluded without any major concerns other than some simple errors in refiner marks on three gold bars, which it said are frequent. The Bank of Korea holds 104.4 tonnes of gold in its foreign exchange reserves, or $4.8 billion, which account for 1.14% of its total $421 billion in reserves as of the end of May.

Persons: BOK, Jihoon Lee, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Bank of Korea, BOK's Reserve Management, Bank of England, Thomson Locations: SEOUL, London

☆ Taste testing the space food of the future
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The competition led the Astra Gastronomy team at Nonfiction, a design and innovation firm based in San Francisco, to develop the Space Culinary Lab. Bringing that level of agency to astronauts is where designers like us start.”The Space Culinary Lab made it through the first phase of the Deep Space Food Challenge in October 2021. This rendering shows what the Space Culinary Lab might look like inside a spacecraft. Time for a taste testThe futuristic space food prepared using the culinary lab was available for a taste test at Nonfiction during CNN’s visit in March, including space coffee and algae mixed with different flavors. The fruit powders masked the algae flavor and made it taste more like a slightly sweet treat without added sugars.

Persons: San Francisco CNN —, ”, Phnam Bagley, “, Bagley, munch, sizzle, bok, Mona Lisa ”, CNN’s, Mark Alexander, Mardis Bagley, Nadia Kutyreva, Fifile Nguyen, ” Bagley Organizations: San Francisco CNN, NASA, Canadian Space Agency, Astra Locations: San Francisco, Mars

☆ Japanese lender Mizuho to buy Greenhill in $550 mln deal to expand US footprint
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 22 (Reuters) - Japan's Mizuho Financial Group Inc (8411.T) will acquire independent investment bank Greenhill & Co Inc (GHL.N) in an all-cash transaction, in a bid to expand further into U.S. investment banking. Of Japan's three megabanks, Mizuho has, however, been slower to move than bigger rivals Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (8306.T) and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (8316.T). The Greenhill business will sit within Mizuho's banking division, led by Michal Katz, head of banking in the Americas, the statement said. Greenhill Chairman and CEO Scott L. Bok will become chairman of the M&A and restructuring advisory business, it added. Last year, Mizuho CEO Yoshiro Hamamoto told Reuters that the group's brokerage arm Mizuho Securities Co "has room for further growth" in the United States and acquisitions were an option it was exploring.

☆ A man in South Korea got caught out after having his twin brother take an entrance exam for him when he double booked himself
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A Bank of Korea employee got caught after his twin brother took an entrance exam in his name. The man had an entrance exam for two jobs on the same day, but got his brother to take one for him. Rather than trying to rearrange one of the exams, the man asked his twin to take the FSS exam under his name. South Korea is notorious for having a hyper-competitive job market, and for the length and intensity of work many people do. That ranks among the five highest working hours in developed nations.

☆ IMF sees uncertainty over Japan's monetary policy, spillover globally
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Leika Kihara | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

While most Asian central banks must keep tightening monetary policy, Japan remains an exception with inflation still moderate - though this could change. "There is uncertainty around the direction of monetary policy in Japan, amid a rise in inflation," Srinivasan said. "Changes in Japan's monetary policy that lead to further increases in government bond yields could have global spillovers through Japanese investors, who have large investment positions in debt instruments abroad," Srinivasan said. With inflation exceeding its 2% target, markets are rife with speculation the Bank of Japan (BOJ) could modify its bond yield control policy in coming months. The BOJ kept ultra-low interest rates on Friday but announced a plan to review its past monetary policy moves, laying the groundwork for new governor Kazuo Ueda to phase out his predecessor's massive stimulus programme.

☆ South Korea inflation hits 14-month low, backs view rate-hike cycle is over
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Choonsik Yoo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, May 2 (Reuters) - South Korea's consumer inflation eased for a third consecutive month to a 14-month low in April and the central bank expects the downward trend to persist for some time, supporting the market's view that its policy tightening cycle is over. The consumer price index (CPI) stood 3.7% higher in April than a year earlier, the Statistics Korea data showed on Tuesday, marking the slowest growth since February last year and following a 4.2% increase in March. The Bank of Korea (BOK) issued a broadly dovish statement, although it repeated that uncertainty remained high over the future path of inflation. "The consumer price growth will show a clearly slowing trend through the middle of this year, while the core price growth will show a trend of easing at a slower pace than the headline inflation," it said. The central bank held interest rates steady at the last two successive policy meetings after raising them by 300 basis points since late 2021.

☆ Oil dips 2% on economic woes and stronger dollar
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

An oil pumpjack pulls oil from the Permian Basin oil field on March 14, 2022 in Odessa, Texas. Oil dropped 2% on Tuesday after two sessions of gains as deepening concerns of an economic slowdown and a stronger dollar outweighed hopes of higher Chinese demand and lower U.S. crude stocks. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude dropped $1.69, or 2.2%, to settle at $77.07. A stronger dollar pressures oil demand by making the commodity more expensive for buyers holding other currencies. Gold prices also were flat as the dollar strengthened, while U.S. stocks fell as weak earnings fanned economic fears.

☆ Oil prices steady as strong China data offsets US rate worries
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Arathy Somasekhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

2 oil consumer China offset concerns that possible increases in U.S. interest rates could dampen growth in the top consuming country. China's economy grew by a faster-than-expected 4.5% in the first quarter while oil refinery throughput rose to record levels in March, data showed. The dollar eased on Tuesday after the upbeat China data. Most traders, however, believe that the recent crude price rally is in need of a correction, said Dennis Kissler, senior vice president of trading at BOK Financial. Crude prices posted gains for the last four weeks, a streak not seen since June 2022.

☆ Oil rises 2% on lower-than-expected US inflation data
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Arathy Somasekhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Prices rose about 2% on Tuesday. The CPI rose 6% year-on-year in February. Markets shrugged off a small build in U.S. crude oil stocks, attributing it in part to a congressionally mandated release of oil from the U.S. emergency reserve and lower exports at the start of the month. Meanwhile, the global oil market could see tightness in the second half of 2023, which would push oil prices higher, said Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency. In a negative for oil demand, the International Monetary Fund on Tuesday trimmed its 2023 global growth outlook, citing the impact of higher interest rates.

☆ At 100 years old, I'm the 'world's oldest practicing doctor'—5 things I never do to live a long, happy life
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Dr. Howard Tucker | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

When I was born in 1922, the average life expectancy in the U.S. was 58 years old for men, and 61 years old for women. So as a 100-year-old practicing medical doctor and neurologist, patients often ask me for tips on how to stay healthy, happy and mentally sharp. I've been working for more than 75 years, and was even named as the world's oldest practicing doctor by the Guinness World Records. (My hospital just shut down, so I'm currently doing medical legal review work while I look for another role.) Moderation allows us to live life to the fullest while also keeping us from going overboard and impacting our health in the long run.

☆ We don't expect BoK to further hike rates this year: Goldman Sachs
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailThere's no real chance of a further hike in interest rates from the Bank of Korea: Goldman SachsGoohoon Kwon of the investment bank says a cut in interest rates is likely in the fourth quarter.

☆ Oil dips on profit taking, markets debate supply tightness
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Arathy Somasekhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Brent crude closed 37 cents, or 0.5%, lower at $78.28 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate crude fell 23 cents, or 0.3%, to $72.97. On the supply side, worries of tightness after an unexpected draw in U.S. oil stockpiles and a halt to some Iraqi Kurdistan oil exports were partially offset by a smaller-than-expected output cut in Russia. U.S. crude oil stockpiles fell unexpectedly last week, the Energy Information Administration said, as refineries ramped up operations after maintenance season and U.S. imports fell to a two-year low. Supply concern were, however, eased by reports that Russian oil production fell by around 300,000 bpd in the first three weeks of March, less than the targeted cuts of 500,000 bpd. A stronger greenback hurts oil demand as crude becomes more expensive for buyers who hold foreign currencies.

☆ Oil rises 2% in retreat from 15-mth low as banking fears subside
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Arathy Somasekhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"Fears of a banking crisis and a recession have eased, brightening the oil demand outlook at least for now," said Fiona Cincotta, Senior Financial Markets Analyst at City Index. Wall Street indexes also closed sharply higher on Tuesday as fears over liquidity in the banking sector abated and market participants eyed the Fed. Meanwhile, U.S. crude oil inventories rose by about 3.3 million barrels last week, according to market sources citing American Petroleum Institute figures. OPEC+ sources told Reuters the drop in prices reflects banking fears rather than supply and demand. The CEO of energy trader Gunvor, Torbjorn Tornqvist, said he expected oil prices to move higher toward year end as rising Chinese demand tightens the market further.

Joseph Cress/USA TODAY Sports via REUTERSMarch 20 (Reuters) - Donald Trump's lawyers on Monday asked a Georgia court to quash a special grand jury report detailing its investigation into the former U.S. president's efforts to overturn his 2020 statewide election defeat. The Georgia motion seeks to bar prosecutors from using any evidence or testimony derived from the grand jury's investigation. If charged in New York or Georgia, Trump would become the first former U.S. president to face criminal prosecution. At Willis's request, a special grand jury was convened last year to aid in her investigation. While the grand jury did not have the authority to produce indictments, it could issue subpoenas and heard testimony from 75 witnesses, including top Trump allies such as U.S.

His court filing also sought to disqualify the Fulton County District Attorney's Office, which has been conducting the criminal probe, from being involved in the case. The Atlanta grand jury earlier this year finished hearing testimony and reviewing evidence submitted by prosecutors. The panel then recommended the filing of criminal charges against a number of people, who have not been publicly identified. The grand jury focused particularly on a Jan. 2, 2021, phone call, during which Trump asked Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to "find 11,780 votes" for Trump. Trump's 483-page court filing argues that the grand jury "was conducted under an unconstitutional statute, through an illegal and unconstitutional process."

☆ Oil slumps $5/bbl to lowest in more than a year as banking fears mount
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Arathy Somasekhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"Nobody wants to go home with a big position on anything today ... you have nowhere to hide really." Both crude benchmarks hit their lowest since December 2021 and have fallen for three straight days. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) was down $4.51, or 6.3%, at $66.84, breaking through technical levels of $70 and $68 and extending the sell off. Wednesday's monthly report from the International Energy Agency provided support by flagging an expected boost to oil demand from China, a day after OPEC increased its Chinese demand forecast for 2023. "We definitely have seen the oil market separate themselves from oil inventories and we’re more focused on a larger meltdown of the global economy," said Phil Flynn, an analyst at Price Futures Group.

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