Yulia Zeng

TradingKey - On Thursday local time, Alphabet issued $25 billion in investment-grade US dollar bonds, spanning 10 tranches with maturities ranging from 2 to 40 years. This marks not only the company's largest USD financing this year but also one of the highest-subscribed transactions in the AI-related bond market since 2026.

TradingKey - On August 7, Japanese and South Korean stock markets opened higher and underwent volatile consolidation. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) opened 1.1% higher at 6,365.07 points. Early gains expanded to as much as 1.85%, hitting 6,412.76 points, but the index subsequently surrendered most of those gains. It was last reported at 6,307.40 points, up 0.17%.

TradingKey - SoftBank Group reported a net profit of 347.33 billion yen (approximately $2.2 billion) for the first fiscal quarter ended June 30, down about 18% year-on-year but well above the market expectation of approximately 166 billion yen.

TradingKey - The continuous expansion of AI data centers is driving the storage industry into a new upcycle. Benefiting from robust demand for enterprise hard drives, Western Digital (WDC) delivered an almost impeccable quarterly earnings report. However, the stellar results failed to translate into stock price gains, as Western Digital fell nearly 12% in after-hours trading.

TradingKey - On August 6, Japanese and South Korean stock markets closed lower, with SK Hynix closing down 10%, Samsung Electronics falling 6%, and Kioxia dropping by more than 10%.

TradingKey - SanDisk (SDNK) delivered its strongest financial results since its spin-off listing, but the capital market's reaction was the exact opposite.

TradingKey - On August 6, Japanese and South Korean stock markets opened lower across the board. Following a broad pullback in the U.S. semiconductor sector overnight, Asian chip stocks came under pressure, weighing on major indices in both markets.

TradingKey - According to Reuters, citing sources familiar with the matter, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have been evaluating etching equipment from Chinese semiconductor equipment manufacturer AMEC in recent years. The primary objective is to secure additional supply chain options for their production bases in China to mitigate risks from potential further tightening of U.S. export controls. However, Samsung denied these reports, stating it has neither tested AMEC's equipment at its Chinese facilities nor included the equipment in its implementation plans.

TradingKey - AMD reported second-quarter fiscal 2026 results that were generally better than market expectations. However, as investors had already set extremely high expectations for the company's AI business and its third-quarter revenue guidance failed to fully meet the most optimistic projection

TradingKey - On August 5, Japanese and South Korean stock markets closed higher across the board. By the market close, the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 239.31 points, or 3.76%, to 6,598.26, extending the rebound from the previous trading session. Japanese stocks also gained strength, with the Nikkei 225 Index closing up 3.66% at 66,300.44.

TradingKey - SpaceX (SPCX) released its first quarterly earnings report since going public, which overall exceeded Wall Street expectations. However, the company's investments in AI data centers, Starship, and next-generation satellites continue to increase rapidly. High capital expenditures have led investors to reassess its cash burn and long-term returns, causing SpaceX's stock price to fall more than 7% in after-hours trading.

TradingKey - On August 5, Japanese and South Korean stock markets were driven higher by the overnight rally in U.S. tech and semiconductor sectors, with major indices in both regions opening higher and trending upward. SK Hynix rose 7%, Samsung Electronics gained over 4%, SoftBank surged 9%, and Kioxia climbed 7%.

TradingKey - SanDisk (SNDK) will report its fourth-quarter and full-year fiscal 2026 results after the market close on August 5, Eastern Time. The market will look to the report to gauge whether the growth cycle, driven by AI data center investment, rising NAND prices, and supply constraints, can be sustained.

TradingKey - On August 4, Japanese and South Korean stock markets closed higher across the board. The KOSPI Index rose 1.62% to close at 6,358.95 points, while the Nikkei 225 Index gained 0.32% to finish at 63,957.53 points.

TradingKey - AI software company Palantir (PLTR) has once again delivered quarterly results that significantly outperformed market expectations. After the market close on Monday Eastern Time, the company announced its second quarter 2026 financial results, with both revenue and earnings exceeding Wall Street estimates, and raised its full-year revenue guidance by nearly $500 million. Driven by the strong results and optimistic outlook, Palantir's stock price surged nearly 15% in after-hours trading.

TradingKey - On August 4, major stock indices in Japan and South Korea both opened higher. South Korea's KOSPI index opened up 1.5% before narrowing its gains to approximately 1.24% at 6,334.94 points. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index maintained its upward trend after opening higher, recently rising 0.40% to 64,009.44 points.

TradingKey - SpaceX (SPCX) will release its second-quarter 2026 financial results after the market close on August 4, Eastern Time, marking the company's first earnings report since its listing in June.

TradingKey - On August 3, Japanese and South Korean stock markets collectively closed lower, as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix both plunged nearly 9%.

TradingKey - British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca (AZN) is in talks with its U.S. peer Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY) regarding a potential merger. If a deal is reached, the combined market capitalization of the two entities would approach $400 billion, potentially creating one of the world's largest pharmaceutical groups.

TradingKey - International oil prices fell sharply during Monday's Asian trading session. U.S. President Trump announced a suspension of new military actions against Iran and the restarting of negotiations regarding the nuclear issue and the Strait of Hormuz, significantly easing market concerns over Middle East crude oil supply disruptions. Meanwhile, OPEC+ decided to continue increasing its production target for September, further intensifying downward pressure on oil prices.