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South Korea's economic growth was fast losing momentum at latest measure as higher living costs erode household income and crimp demand, pressuring the Bank of Korea (BoK) to strike a balance between inflation and growth. All but one of 30 economists in the Nov. 15-21 poll forecast the BoK would raise its policy rate (KROCRT=ECI) by 25 basis points to 3.25% on Thursday. If the majority view prevails, the BoK will take rates to the highest level since 2012. "Amid climbing concerns about growth and the credit market, the case for hiking at a more gradual pace has strengthened further." Nearly 60% of respondents, 17 of 30, forecast another hike by 25 basis points by end-March, taking rates to 3.50%.

Nov 21 (Reuters) - A look at the day ahead in Asian markets from Jamie McGeever. World stocks have rebounded strongly, bond yields and the dollar have fallen, and financial conditions eased significantly over the last month as investors bet that the Fed is preparing the ground for the much-vaunted 'pivot'. This deepens the problems that Asian markets and policymakers have been facing all year - historically low exchange rates, FX market intervention, rising inflationary pressures, and raising domestic interest rates into weak growth. Asia's powerhouses Japan and China are loosening policy, of course, and their currencies and FX reserves are taking a hit. But if Fed hawks and dollar bulls set the market tone, they may have to tighten more than they had envisaged.

SEOUL, Nov 16 (Reuters) - South Korea's housing prices fell at the sharpest rate in at least 19 years in October, adding to expectations the nation's central bank will slow its pace of interest rate hikes in the coming weeks. In the capital Seoul, apartment prices declined 1.24%, the fastest since December 2008, extending losses to a ninth straight month. The national index for apartment transaction prices dropped 7.13% during the January-September period, on track for the biggest annual decline since that data was introduced in 2006. Analysts expect only one or two more interest rate hikes by the Bank of Korea for the remainder of this year and 2023 to take the terminal rate to 3.25% or 3.50%. South Korea's household debt-to-GDP ratios stood at 102.2% in the second quarter, data of 35 major economies from the Institute of International Finance showed.

☆ S Africa's Libbok eager to press World Cup claims against Italy
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"Apart from flyhalf, I can also cover fullback and centre, both inside centre or outside," Libbok told reporters on Wednesday. "I am pleased I can do that as it means I can help out the team if I am needed there. "It was something I dreamed of since I was a little kid, so it was very special for me," he said. If I got the ball from the kick-off when I came on I would probably just have run with it. "Last week we had a plan against France, as we knew there would be opportunities (to keep ball in hand).

☆ South Korea's Oct import prices rise at slowest pace in 15 months
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, Nov 15 (Reuters) - South Korea's export and import prices rose at slower paces in October, with the latter softening to a 15-month low, central bank data showed on Tuesday. The country's export prices, in terms of the won currency, rose 13.7% in October from a year earlier, according to the Bank of Korea's provisional data, slower than a revised 14.7% rise in the previous month. Import prices also rose at a slower annual rate of 19.8%, compared with a revised 24.2% gain in September, and it marked the slowest rate since July 2021. The slowdown came despite higher oil prices and a weaker currency than in the previous month, with Dubai oil prices and dollar-won exchange rates rising 0.2% and 2.5% on monthly average, respectively, according to the BOK. In October 2021, export and import prices jumped 26.1% and 36.3%, respectively, marking their fastest annual growth rates in more than 13 years.

☆ Oil prices slide $2 on China demand worries, U.S. midterm elections
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Arathy Somasekhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Companies Diamondback Energy Inc FollowNov 8 (Reuters) - Oil prices fell more than $2 on Tuesday in choppy trading on growing worries about fuel demand as COVID-19 outbreaks worsened in top crude importer China, and jitters about the outcome of U.S. midterm elections. U.S. crude fell $2.88, or 3.14%, to $88.91 per barrel. It's a wait to see what the result is type of a situation here," said Bob Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho in New York. U.S. stocks also gyrated as market participants bided their time waiting to see whether Capitol Hill is in for a power shift, with Republican gains expected in the midterm elections. The ICE exchange, home to the Brent benchmark, has increased the initial margin rates for front-month Brent crude futures by 4.92%, making maintaining a futures position more expensive from the close of business on Tuesday.

☆ Oil prices dip 1% on China demand worries, U.S. midterm elections
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Arathy Somasekhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Companies Diamondback Energy Inc FollowNov 8 (Reuters) - Oil prices edged 1% lower on Tuesday on growing worries about fuel demand as COVID-19 outbreaks worsened in top crude importer China, and jitters about the outcome of U.S. Brent futures for January delivery fell $1.14 to $96.78 a barrel, a 1.2% loss, by 13:02 p.m. EST (18:02 GMT). It's a wait to see what the result is type of a situation here," said Bob Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho in New York. The ICE exchange, home to the Brent benchmark, has increased the initial margin rates for front-month Brent crude futures by 4.92%, making maintaining a futures position more expensive from the close of business on Tuesday. U.S. crude oil stocks were expected to have risen by about 1.1 million barrels last week, a preliminary Reuters poll showed on Monday.

☆ Kolisi vows 'beautiful' Boks won't change their style for anyone
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The way we play, to us, we think it’s beautiful. Our way is focused on the scrum and the maul, which is also beautiful in its own way. "Ireland are very good with their set plays and they’re technical, so it’s going to be a good game to watch with two different plays." The teams will meet in the World Cup pool stages in France next year, but Kolisi says there cannot be too much read into the result, whatever happens on Saturday. The pressure of a World Cup adds an extra dynamic.

☆ The Fed may have to blow up the economy to get inflation under control
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-30 | by ( Paul R. La Monica | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Jobs report also on tapThe Fed meeting takes place just two days before the nation will get its next report card on the labor market. Another jobs report, from payroll processor ADP, is also due out next week, and this one looks just at Corporate America. The government said in the September jobs report that average hourly earnings rose 5% in the past 12 months. The Fed typically prefers to see wage growth in the 2% to 3% annual range as a sign that inflation is under control. Discovery, Starbucks (SBUX), PayPal (PYPL), Amgen (AMGN) and Block (SQ)Friday: US jobs report; earnings from Cardinal Health (CAH), Duke Energy (DUK) and Hershey (HSY)

Samsung's (005930.KS) operating profit fell to 10.85 trillion won ($7.7 billion) for the July-September quarter, from 15.8 trillion won a year earlier, the first year-on-year decline in nearly three years. That was in line with Samsung's (005930.KS) own estimate of 10.8 trillion won earlier this month. Revenue rose 4% to 76.8 trillion won. Profit in its chip business fell to 5.12 trillion won from 10.07 trillion won a year earlier. This was relatively more upbeat than its smaller rival SK Hynix (000660.KS), which warned of an "unprecedented deterioration" in memory chip demand and slashed investment by more than 50% on Wednesday.

Economists have pointed to growing challenges for Korea's economy as sustained high inflation, rapidly rising interest rates worldwide and continuing global supply-chain disruptions sap demand both at home and abroad. "Today's figure, although appearing okay, is already about the past while the future is getting more difficult both in terms of domestic and global demand," said Park Sang-hyun, chief economist at HI Investment & Securities. Despite managing positive growth, a breakdown of the figures showed Asia's fourth-largest economy was losing momentum quickly in the face of cooling global demand, a wave of policy tightening and high inflation. On an annual basis, the economy expanded by 3.1% in the third quarter after a 2.9% gain in the second quarter. Reporting by Jihoon Lee and Choonsik Yoo; Editing by Shri Navaratnam and Richard PullinOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ South Korea's economy likely ground to near halt in Q3
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Devayani Sathyan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The export-led economy was expected to have expanded a seasonally-adjusted 0.1% last quarter, according to the median forecast of 21 economists, a sharp slowdown from the 0.7% quarterly growth in April-June. Three economists forecast an outright contraction and two expected the economy to flatline. "GDP growth is likely to have been slower in 3Q22 compared with 2Q22, mainly due to the slowdown in consumption. That, along with the Bank of Korea's (BOK) aggressive interest rate hikes to curb decade-high inflationary pressures, will weigh on the economy. According to a separate Reuters poll, growth is forecast to average 2.6% this year and ease to 1.9% next year.

☆ Oil steady as recession woes counter positive Chinese signals
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Arathy Somasekhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Brent crude futures were down 1 cents, or 0.01%, to $91.62 a barrel, recovering from a 6.4% fall last week. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was down 15 cents, or 0.2%, at $85.46 after a 7.6% decline last week. Beijing will also greatly increase domestic energy supply capacity and step up risk controls in key commodities including coal, oil, gas and electricity, a senior National Energy Administration official said on Monday. "It's been another turbulent few weeks in oil markets from global growth concerns to super-sized OPEC+ output cuts and it seems they're yet to fully settle down," said Craig Erlam, senior markets analyst at OANDA. OPEC+ output cuts attracted funds back to the oil markets, with continued heavy buying of crude oil futures and options for a second straight week.

Joo and Shin voted for a smaller hike in the rate, Rhee said in news conference, but did not elaborate on their views. Twenty-three of 26 analysts expected the bank to go for a half-point hike in a Reuters poll, while the remaining three expected a quarter-point hike. The median forecast in the poll showed the BOK's base rate going to 3.25% by year-end and then peaking at 3.50% in the first quarter of 2023. Almost half of respondents in the Reuters poll expected the base rate to reaching 3.75% in the first quarter of next year. After Wednesday's rate hike, the Korea Federation of Small- to Medium-sized Enterprises expressed "serious concern" about higher rates.

The Bank of Korea (BOK) raised its benchmark policy rate (KROCRT=ECI) by 50 basis points to 3.00% on Wednesday, bringing total rates hike since August last year to 250 basis points. Twenty-three of 26 analysts expected the bank to go for a half-point hike in a Reuters poll, while the remaining three expected a quarter-point hike. "The 50 bp hike today was the BOK's response to the sinking won, it seems." South Korea's three-year treasury bond futures fell after the BOK's statement on the decision. The median forecast in the poll showed the BOK's base rate going to 3.25% by year-end and then peaking at 3.50% in the first quarter of 2023.

☆ Morning Bid: What a fine mess
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Oct 11 (Reuters) - A look at the day ahead in Asian markets from Jamie McGeeverSometimes it's better to say nothing at all. The rupee is even deeper in the mire than the won - this week it hit a record low of 82.82 per dollar. Both the BoK and Reserve Bank of India have intervened in FX markets this year to support their exchange rates. They - and others - might have to do more, raising the risk that central banks offload more of their U.S. Treasuries. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ Morning Bid: China back for dollar thwack
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Asian trade could be more volatile than usual as China reopens after the Golden Week holiday. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterChina will be very much in focus this week. The Caixin services PMI over the weekend showed that activity contracted in September for the first time since May, and the economic data dump this week includes inflation, trade, and loan growth. Elsewhere in Asia this week the Monetary Authority of Singapore and Bank of Korea are set to raise rates. The BOK has already intervened to support the won, which last week hit a 13-1/2 year low, and the Singapore dollar is also close to a post-2009 low.

☆ Oil edges up as supply woes outweigh demand and rate hike worries
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( Arathy Somasekhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Crude oil storage tanks are seen in an aerial photograph at the Cushing oil hub in Cushing, Oklahoma, U.S. April 21, 2020. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies led by Russia, known as OPEC+, fell short of its oil production target by 3.583 million barrels per day (bpd) in August, an internal document showed. read moreStill, oil also came under pressure from hopes of an easing of Europe's gas supply crisis. read more"The market still has the start of European sanctions on Russian oil hanging over it. As supply is disrupted in early December, the market is unlikely to see any quick response from U.S. producers," ANZ analysts said.

☆ Oil little changed as markets debate fed hikes and supply woes
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( Arathy Somasekhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Crude oil storage tanks are seen in an aerial photograph at the Cushing oil hub in Cushing, Oklahoma, U.S. April 21, 2020. read moreStill, oil also came under pressure from hopes of an easing of Europe's gas supply crisis. The U.S. dollar stayed near a two-decade high ahead of this week's decisions by the Fed and other central banks. read more"The market still has the start of European sanctions on Russian oil hanging over it. As supply is disrupted in early December, the market is unlikely to see any quick response from U.S. producers," ANZ analysts said.

☆ Oil edges down on demand fears and strong dollar
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( Arathy Somasekhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Crude oil storage tanks are seen in an aerial photograph at the Cushing oil hub in Cushing, Oklahoma, U.S. April 21, 2020. read moreOil also came under pressure from hopes of an easing of Europe's gas supply crisis. A stronger dollar makes dollar-denominated commodities more expensive for holders of other currencies and tends to weigh on oil and other risk assets. The market has also been pressured by forecasts of weaker demand, such as last week's prediction by the International Energy Agency that there would be zero demand growth in the fourth quarter. read moreDespite those demand fears, supply concerns kept the decline in check.

☆ Sorry, Biden backers. President Donald Trump actually has more campaign cash now than 4 years ago
▼ + stars: | 2020-09-10 | by ( Dave Levinthal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

President Trump's campaign ended July with $120 million, about three times more than the roughly $39 million it reported at this point in 2016. This doesn't cost Trump's campaign anything but helps get his message to voters. In addition to the Trump campaign, the Republican National Committee and several pro-Trump super PACs have planned heavy spending before Election Day. The Trump campaign ended July with more than $120 million, compared with about $99 million for Biden. Some areas of Trump campaign spending have even dropped from 2016 to 2020.

☆ (video) Booo! Șapte filme înfiorătoare pentru seara de Halloween
▼ + stars: | 2019-10-31 | by ( Onixmedia Srl | ) diez.md time to read: +3 min

În această noapte sărbătorim cea mai înfiorătoare zi din acest an – Halloween. Dacă te numeri printre cinefili și ești în căutare de un horror bun pentru această seară, atunci să știi că am realizat un top de filme bune. # Kim Bok-nam salinsageonui jeonmal (Bedevilled)Regie: Jang Cheol-soGen: crimă, dramă, horrorDurată: 115 minuteNotă IMDb: 7,3Hye-won ajunge pe insula Moo-do, unde a copilărit. # Let Me InRegie: Matt ReevesGen: dramă, fantastic, horrorDurată: 116 minuteNotă IMDb: 7,1Anii ’80. Gândurile de răzbunare și frustrarea neputincioasă a protagonistului își află leac în prietenia acestuia cu o vecină de aceeași vârstă, Abby.

Persons: Ari, Ellen, Graham, Jordan, John, Kim, Jang, Quentin Tarantino Gen, Julia, Mike, Matt Reeves, Abby Locations: american, Coreea de Sud, Seul, Busa, Moo, pustie, nam, Austin, american Colorado

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