S&P 500 — US Large Cap Index
FTSE 100 — UK Blue Chips
Euro Stoxx 50 — Eurozone Leaders
DAX 40 — German Equities
CAC 40 — French Market Index
Nikkei 225 — Japan Benchmark
Hang Seng — Hong Kong Index
Shanghai Composite — China Mainland
ASX 200 — Australian Market
TSX Composite — Canada Index
Nifty 50 — India Large Cap
STI Index — Singapore Market
KOSPI — South Korea Index
Bovespa — Brazil Equities
JSE Top 40 — South Africa Index
IPC Index — Mexico Market
The South Korean won strengthened to around 1,430 per dollar, extending its July recovery, supported by strong foreign inflows and improving trade fundamentals. The currency benefited from dollar inflows linked to SK Hynix’s ADR offering, as proceeds from the transaction were converted into won for domestic semiconductor investment, while renewed foreign demand for Korean assets also supported the recovery. Additionally, Korea’s external outlook improved, with July exports surging 62.9% year-on-year to $98.89 billion as semiconductor shipments jumped 179% to $41 billion, lifting the trade surplus to $30.32 billion. This reinforced expectations for a recovery in growth, with manufacturing sentiment improving as companies benefited from robust chip demand. Separately, US President Donald Trump called off a planned strike on Iran, pushing oil prices lower and easing Middle East tensions.
