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 1,441 per dollar in late July, extending gains to its strongest level since late February, as increased dollar supply from exporters and corporate currency conversions supported the currency. SK hynix’s repatriation of proceeds from its US listing, along with month-end exporter settlements, helped offset dollar demand from foreign investors selling South Korean equities during the recent stock market rout. The won also benefited from improving export sentiment, with record semiconductor earnings and sustained AI-related memory demand reinforcing expectations for continued strength in South Korea’s key export sector and sustained foreign currency inflows. Separately, the Federal Reserve’s decision to keep interest rates unchanged eased concerns over a near-term rate hike, weakening the dollar and reducing pressure on the won. Meanwhile, renewed US-Iran tensions and potential oil price volatility remained risks for the currency.
